Know Your Place
by CrimsonEbony
Summary: Know your place as a Konoha Ninja, know your place as a kunoichi. Know your place as a friend, a lover, and an enemy. Not because you must, but because you want to. [KakaSaku] W and OC.
1. Flashback and Foreshadow

**Notes**: this is a revised version of Know Your Place. If you've read the old one, please read this one because some important things have been added.

Disclaimer: Yes, I own Naruto. All of it. (of course, for me to be saying this is like declaring that Pikachu invented the British language, so no)

Kakashi stood lazily in front of the memorial, familiar orange book dangling from his right hand, eyes sweeping the sight of the bluish slab of stone displayed in front of him. From behind, he could see the rising sun, casting bright rays of light that filtered the vanishing night shadows.

This particular morning, he did not merely come for Obito, though his buddy was on his mind as he approached the memorial. It was the ten year anniversary for one of his closest friends. Yurumo Kaoru. As he stared, he allowed his mind to wander. Ten years since her death, since a certain betrayal had almost left to the destruction of Konoha. And only he and Genma were the survivors. At the cost of an innocent life.

A sudden screech made his head snap up and tore the memory images from his mind. A sharp brown hawk circled overhead, squawking loudly. A summon. From Tsunade.

Without another word, Kakashi set off. His figure disappeared in a hiss and a blur, leaving behind nothing but a lingering scent of memories.

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Sakura's brain was dizzy when her eyes opened to bright sunlight, the dream she slept through dissipating away like so much mist. She was vaguely aware that it was her day off finally at the hospital and she sighed in relief. She didn't feel like treating overly sensitive patients or give out any more massages. As soon as the thought entered her awakening brain, a knock on the window made her turn around.

A familiar uniform of green and dark blue told her it was no doubt one of the jounins. Naruto was the first on her mind—he often came in the mornings to greet her friendlily and offer her food or interesting stories of him and Hinata. Shikamaru or one of her female friends were next on the expectant list—probably there to tell her of a party or scold her for being such a sleeper. Genma was also a possibility for her—lately, he's been flirting with her, being the womanizer that he was. Sakura thought or maybe half hoped without much interest that it was Sasuke. He had been brought back after Naruto defeated Orochimaru and had begun to show some respect to Sakura as somewhat of an equal, but the relationship between them had digressed to mutual—if still existent.

Never had she expected to see the cover of a familiar orange book propped up between slightly calloused fingers as his figure perched casually on the tiny slope of balcony outside her window.

As their eyes, met, his visible on crinkled in a smile as he greeted kindly, his voice muffled somewhat by the glass, "Ohayo, Sakura-chan."

"K-Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura uttered, visibly startled at his appearance. This was rare. Even Sasuke would have been more likely. Ever since her promotion to chunin level, she and Kakashi practically lost contact save the occasional greetings when he entered the hospital injured, or when they passed in the streets or when their appointments with Tsunade got set up next to each other and they waved at the door. But Sakura just didn't seem to think the equally occasion, "Yo," and "Ohayo, Kakashi-sensei," were enough to maintain a relationship of any kind.

"Get up, Sakura, Tsunade needs us to be there in ten minutes," Kakashi said briskly.

Sakura's eyes widened dramatically. So much for the day off. "Ten minutes? I can't do that! I have to do my hair and wash!"

"Skip to the wash, you're hair will be fine," Kakashi prompted. "It'll get messed up later anyways. And you really might want to hurry up. She's timing us. My paycheck gets cut if we're late."

At that, Sakura was already rolling out of bed, tangled in a trail of bedsheets. "She expects you to be on time? She must be dreaming."

"Not when my paycheck is riding the risk," he replied calmly, his nose buried in his Icha Icha.

"Shit!" Sakura hissed as she tripped over her tangles blankets and fell face flat on the floor, exposing her bright pink panties. Blushing, she pulled herself up hastily for cover, casting Kakashi a glance and breathing a sigh of relief when she saw that his book covered his face.

The wash was brief before Kakashi rudely barged in a dragged Sakura out before she finished ripping a comb through her pink locks.

"Hey, I can't go out like this!"

"You'll have to endure it for now. I need this paycheck to go catch the next Icah Icha movie tickets," Kakashi deadpanned, picking up her chunin vest and bringing the two out the door, slamming it shut behind him with a casual jerk of his heel.

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"Ne, Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura began as she accompanied him down the hall to Tsunade's office, passing some other people of her rank scurry away with piles of papers in their arms.

"Hm?"

"When she told you to get me, did she tell you what for?" She asked, knowing that the answer was probably a no. Beside her, Kakashi just shrugged like usual, still no doubt focused on his book. Sakura sighed. It's always been like this. But what was rare was for Kakashi to be with her on this particular occasion. They haven't really hung out with each other in a while—ever since their last mission about a year or so ago when they had to trace some Akatsuki members. But now that they were back in contact, Sakura felt rather awkward. She's always held respect for him and his reputation, but she had begun to realize that Kakashi was not as antisocial as she used to think. Due to Konoha's drinking age being seventeen, she often went to the bar and found him there sitting at a table with Genma, Gai, Kurenai, Asuma and Anko, chatting when his turn and enjoying bottles of drinks.

Once outside the door, Sakura raised her hand and knocked. Upon hearing the permission call from within, she pushed the door open and went in, Kakashi following. The room was as messy as usual—not anything new to Sakura for she went there practically everyday. Papers splashed pell-mell on the desk along with stacks of unopened scrolls. Discarded sake bottles littered the corners, nooks and crannies along with wrappers of sweets that Sasuke would disprove of.

"Ah, here we are," Tsunade began, looking up from the desk and slipping out two scrolls from beneath the mess of papers. "Your missions." She handed one to Kakashi and another to Sakura; both took it swiftly before rolling it open. Sakura's brows furrowed into a brow as she skimmed through the contents and descriptions.

"Gang rapists?"

There was an awkward kind of pause in which the only thing disturbing the silence was Kakashi rolling his mission scroll shut.

"Abducting and killing off prostitutes?"

Tsunade sighed and leaned back in her chair, propping her feet gracelessly onto the pile of papers she had on her desk. "Amegakure. In recent months they seemed to have risen in power under their so called feudal lords, they've been reported under careful observation to have kidnapped women in a prostitute house nearby Mist and went into hiding. ANBU appeared to the scene to find many slashed bodies of, uh, clients."

Sakura shuffled uncomfortably beside her sensei.

"But they found traces of powerful jutsus. Not normal ones either. They know manipulation when it comes to it," Tsunade continued seriously.

"If all they do is kidnap and rape women from prostitute houses, then it shouldn't be too much danger?" Kakashi asked finally.

Tsunade shook her head. "If only. Our client, Gouha Emoki, has given enough evidence to prove that their ring leader is Goku Taiso, and you know of his grudge against Konoha, I'm sure."

"_The _Goku Taiso?" Kakashi voiced, his one visible eye widening slightly. "I though he died."

Sakura glanced at him for a moment. From the intensity of his gaze, she could tell already that for someone to startle the infamously emotionless Kakashi, Taiso must really have been something.

"Yeah, I thought he was dead too," Tsunade sighed, sitting back up and leaning in forward. "But it turns out he wasn't."

"Hm."

Silence was upon them again as Sakura tried and failed to keep up. "Wait, can I please know what's going on here?" Sakura interrupted rather rudely. "Who's Taiso? What happened with him and Konoha?"

Kakashi didn't answer; didn't surprise Sakura. But Tsunade did speak out.

"Thirteen years ago, he was one of the best ANBU we have ever seen. Besides the Itachi and Hatake here. But apart from that, he was incompatible. And then of course, there's the classical betrayal thing. It was a mission sent out between Kakashi, Genma, Taiso and Ara Kaoru to assassinate a group of Ame jounin bandits that were roaming around and kidnapping powerful people of Konoha into working for them. But along the way…"

_The three hunched over on the branches in the chilly night, ears strained to catch any sign of their sly targets. _

"_I don't sense anything," Kaoru finally mumbled into the silence. "If they're anywhere near here, they'll have already known we're coming, meaning there must be traps around."_

"_No," Kakashi replied quietly, shaking his head to the darkness ahead, his Sharingan shut tightly to conserve his remaining chakra. "There's no way they'll know we're here unless they've got inside information."_

"_This site is supposed to be their secret right?" Genma questioned, twiddling a kunai between his finger and mouth chewing on his precious senbon. "And Ibiki said that this missions was confidential so no one knows save us, him and the Hokage."_

"_But these guys can't be clueless," Taiso reasoned. "If they've been going about so boldly then they have to expect some sort of counter. Unless they are completely absolutely confident that they can win."_

_Kakashi shut both his eyes to concentrate. This mission had been assigned fairly simple—kill off all the raving bandits that tried to sabotage Konoha and return safely with no harm and everyone gets to live happily from then on. But twice now, his deductions and interpretation of their residential location had been proven wrong upon their arrival. He knew there was absolutely no way they were told beforehand about this mission, but he didn't like to think about the other end. If they were aware this platoon was coming, traps would have been set all along the way, ambushes would have been ready for some time now. And their instructor had told them that their one chance was the element of surprise. If they failed to use that advantage wisely, they would be outnumbered badly, outmatched despite Kakashi's excellent Sharingan power and out-jutsued. Form what he knew, they had some seriously damaging stuff. _

"_Don't let your guard down," he ordered briskly before turning his head into the dark clearing ahead. _

"_But captain, do we proceed?" Taiso asked tentatively as the atmosphere thickened. _

_Kakashi nodded. "We'll keep moving. There's no signs of them yet, but we'll keep to the shadows."_

"_Could it be that they already know--" Kaoru started uncertainly._

"_Only if there's inside information and I trust all of you enough to believe that you won't divulge anything," he replied, heaving his feet off in a light, blurry pounce, hearing the others follow up behind. _

"And you can probably imagine the rest," Tsunade said, breaking the images from Sakura's mind.

"He of all people," Kakashi mumbled beside her, his voice betraying a hint of a scowl. Sakura was unsure of what to do or say for a moment. The sad story suddenly told before her in a way, made her feel almost…sad? Depressed?

Perfect encouragement before a mission… 

Then snapping her head up, Sakura realized the reason they were here in the first place. She opened her mouth to ask questions, but Kakashi beat her to it.

"Our mission?"

Tsunade leaned over her desk and fixed them with the most intense gaze she could muster up. "Kill them off and retrieve all the women back if you can. Some are not even from the prostitute house. But most importantly," Tsunade paused before looking at Sakura and Kakashi in turn.

"I want Taiso's ring."

"His ring?" Sakura asked, confused at the sudden change of subject. "You didn't mention that earlier."

"Yes, his ring. It was what our client was after in the first place. But when he tried to track the ring down, it led to Taiso, which began a whole new problem altogether."

"But what's so special about a ring?"

"It's no ordinary ring, Sakura," Kakashi said, causing her to look up at him. "It's stolen property."

"How so?" An eyebrow shot up.

"It was his ANBU weapon, you could say," he said. "I'm guessing it was what saved his life and it's supposed to be the supply of his power."

Another eyebrow shifted up to join the first. "I'm confused. How can a ring save a life?"

"Like I said, Sakura, not just any ring. It was forged by Orochimaru when he was doing his experiments."

Sakura shuddered at the thought of the abominably pale, greasy haired, slimy tongued, strangely sexualized and completely sadistic old worm that had turned Sasuke practically into the devil. True, he was defeated two years ago by Naruto and Sasuke returned in full repentance, the memories never quite left her.

"What kind of ring is it? It's not the kind where it has to be taken by some Hobbits to Mount Doom right? Because if that's the case, you should get Naruto."

Tsunade shook her head urgently. "Look, the ring is not supposed to be something superlatively legendary or mythical. It's a symbol of power, but that's not to say it has none. Orochimaru has said to have sealed numerous things in it that you would not dream to know of."

"And what exactly are those sealed horrible things?"

"No one knows except Taiso and it wasn't until his betrayal did we find out that he used to work for Orochimaru in his prime years."

"What is he? A rapist, a traitor, an ANBU failure AND an Orochimaru supporter?"

"Seems so," Tsunade mumbled. "But your mission is to kill these people off, retrieve the missing women and somehow—I don't give a damn—get that ring back. He had it ten years ago and it probably saved his life without him realizing it. I don't know why he's making sudden moves now, but out client was pretty certain about his power source. If he mass produce it, then Amegakure would definitely challenge Konoha. And since they were the feudal lords that rule everything, it shouldn't be too hard to start war. What with his grudge against Konoha and all…"

"Alright, point taken," Sakura said. "But why me? If this is an assassination mission, Kakashi would be better off sent on a solo."

There was a long pause that seemed to hint Sakura's brain to start realizing something. Prostitutes, girls, rapists, assassination—

"Sakura, how much experience have you had with seduction?"

The question seemed like a slap in the face for Sakura as she stood there in front of Tsunade, trying to ignore the interesting stare she was receiving from her ex teacher. She was unsure of what to say. In truth, she's never even had sex, while Ino, Tenten, Temari and even Hinata had already lost their virginity long ago. Ino, in particular, seemed proud of her long history of one nightstands, despite her age. Sakura, having never quite approved Ino taking after Genma's path, kept herself pure enough. Why, she didn't know—maybe because her love with Sasuke didn't leave her ready enough for a relationship? Maybe she just wasn't mentally ready for sex. Or maybe her physicality—rather young looking, not curvy and full like Ino's or Temari's—never gave her the impression that she even looked ready for bonding.

To be safe in her situation right then, Sakura replied with, "I don't understand the question."

"Hm," Tsunade mumbled. "Look Sakura, the reason I need you is because you're a girl, you have strength, Ino is away on another mission in Suna to help Gaara and you can fit in a tight slim yukata. Do I need to say more?"

Sakura gulped slightly and immediately realized what Tsunade meant. But before she knew even how to react, Shizune had entered the room telling the Godaime she had some debt conference to make that was urgent. The next thing she knew, she and Kakashi were being ushered out by a flustered blonde-baa-chan while Shizune lectured her about the bad sides to gambling. Once the door shut behind the two and the voices became muffled, Kakashi turned to Sakura and creased his visible eye in a smile.

"It's been a while since I was on a mission with you, ne?" He said happily. "Come on, let's go to the Jounin headquarters to plan things out."

Sakura stared as he started walking down the hall they came up, unsure of what to say. Was she prone to deny the mission in any way? She obviously wasn't given the chance. And as her feet began carrying her behind Kakashi's footsteps to a conference room, Sakura realized just what she—or Tsunade—had gotten her in.


	2. Plan, Shopping and Creative Imagination

Then came the planning.

It was carried out in a spare jounin room where Sakura and Kakashi discussed missions details in, well, details. He sat completely relaxed and seemingly unconcerned with knees spread and arms draping over the leather sofa while Sakura began ranting nervously and spazzingly on about the missions.

"…I mean, these gang rapists, they can't be that dangerous, right, even if they knew a couple jutsus and things, I bet you could just take them down with you Raikiri, right? I mean you are the Copy Ninja and all, but if that's the case, then I'm not really needed here--"

"Sakura," Kakashi called softly but firmly, halting her run on sentence in midterm. "Stop hyperventilating. We'll just have to plan ahead."

"Easy for you to say. You're practically a genius."

"Geniuses are geniuses because they plan ahead," Kakashi said, crinkling his eye in to a smile and finally leaning in to the table to join Sakura in their planning. After a few moments of scanning maps, documents, footnotes and such, Kakashi concluded, "Says here they've migrated to east Amegakure over the past few weeks. They must be a traveling bad of dangerous feudal lords then. Their current hideout isn't our biggest problem. But we'll have to leave tonight if we want to make it there in time to catch them on their next raid."

"Next raid?"

Kakashi nodded almost thoughtfully. "Prostitute houses. ANBU has been observing them. They go on raids once a month to abduct women. You know, they're rapists afterall."

"Is that so?" Sakura said uncertainly, picking up the scroll again. "So, since you're the supposed leader, what do we do?" She said expectantly, turning to face him.

"I say we go buy something to eat before we leave. I feel rather hungry."

Sakura blinked. "Eat? At a time like this? You must be crazy," she said, resuming her research over the scroll, not expecting to find much new information.

Silence reigned on them again.

"Kakashi-sensei, you don't want to work on this mission do you?"

Kakashi didn't reply immediately. Sakura didn't look at him, but could feel the stare on her. "What makes you think that?" He said calmly, his one visible eye betraying no emotions.

"You don't seem very enthusiastic."

"I'm not very enthusiastic about any mission."

"Well, obviously."

Silence descended upon them like a curtain with Sakura reading the same lines on a scroll over and over while Kakashi just stared at her.

_Wow, this is awkward, _Sakura thought as her eyes returned to the top of the sentence. She sighed heavily and looked out the paneled windows that lined the room. If the mission failed…she would probably die. But not before getting raped and tortured first probably. Their targets were, after all, gang rapists who looked especially for women. If their mission succeeded…well, nothing special was really supposed to happen. It would just be another mission success. Well, maybe Konoha would get a fat paycheck, but on a personal level…

At that moment, the door opened with a knock. A second later, a girl slightly older than Sakura's age by about a year of two slid through the door gracefully. Black hair and dark brown eyes, she was dressed in full ANBU uniform complete with the two katanas in her back.

_Whoa, she's really pretty,_ Sakura thought as the girl bowed quickly before addressing, "Kakashi-senpai," quietly as she sitting down next to Sakura.

"Kayuri-san," Kakashi acknowledged back. "To what to I owe the pleasure?"

"No what, actually," she said, reaching into a small black sack at her side. "Who. Tsunade sent me with the investigation on the enemy's advance. It seems they've decided to postpone the raid to tomorrow night."

Kakashi's one visible eye narrowed slightly. "Why the delay?" He questioned, his voice still sounding bored.

"They said they were going to wait for the prostitute house's new girl to come in. From what they've been told, she's supposed to be a treasure with the face of a goddess," the girl named Kayuri explained, swiping out a picture and handing to Kakashi. He took it, glanced at it and then passed it to Sakura.

The woman in the picture was unlike any she has ever seen. She seemed to be a goddess descended in human clothing. Her features were so beautiful they looked like they were painted by all the artists in the world. Her body was so…right that Sakura even felt a tinge of jealousy that she couldn't look like that. The girl had brownish hair that was set tightly in a web of buns at the top of her head…but the only thing that disturbed Sakura was that…she looked no older than her.

"She's the new prostitute?" she asked almost automatically. "But she's so…"

"Pretty?" Kayuri finished for her. "Yeah. Her name's Hana and family died in one of the war stricken areas and she was forced to enter that particular okiya."

Sakura looked back at the picture and felt a tugging inside her chest. The girl had lost her family and now has to sell her body to bigoted old turds. And with her looks, she could become a model or something. A life wasted.

"But Tsunade-sama also enclosed the envelope with a new missions plan," Kayuri offered, dumping papers unceremoniously onto the shiny wooden table. A single picture caught Sakura's eye. By the way Kakashi's eye seemed to linger on it told her it caught his eye as well.

A second later, he said thoughtfully, "Is she sure about this?"

Sakura frowned and picked up the picture. It was divided into half. On the left side was the full right side of the woman's face, while on the right, was the left side of her face. The skin tone and hair color contrasted and their expressions were different, so that messed up the lining, but Sakura got the idea.

A second later, she said, echoing Kakashi's words, "Is she sure about this?"

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The room was dimly lit, with few candles lining the wooden protrusion that hung on the walls of his manor. Taiso's robes clung loosely around him as a woman was ushered through the double wooden doors of his room. Everything was set. The flooring preparations were done, and this particular woman was the last of last month's raid.

As expected, Yajima, his top subordinate of the gang, entered the room with a stone bowl in hand. Taiso smiled. Yes, Yajima was indeed faithful. Not that he had a choice, but Yajima had his share. He refused the women Taiso offered him, but learned many powerful techniques.

Taiso's slender fingers took the cup from him and his other hand waved in dismissal. Silently, Yajoma bowed briefly and exited as the corner of his eye saw Taiso down the contents of the cup in a swift swig before turning to the slightly frightened woman discarded in the middle of the room.

Not daring to cast any further glances and feeling Taiso's penetrating gaze on his back, Yajima shut the door behind him, completing the ritual he had done so many times before. All that's left was—

And as expected, a shrill, high-pitched scream resounded from the room, slightly muffled, but a scream all the same. With his back against the wall, Yajima scowled. _That bastard._

_-----------------------------------------------------------------_

"Is she sure about this?" Sakura repeated, her hands shaking around the picture she still clutched between her fingers.

And Kayuri's nod did nothing to help her feel any better. "I'm afraid so."

"But—" Sakura was at a loss for what to say. "I can't play the prostitute, I'm supposed to be the good one here!"

Kayuri shrugged sadly. "Look, you have to, that's why you're even on this mission. But here's the deal—you will no doubt have to come in close proximity with Taiso, there's no question about that, it's certain. Maybe even before you get abducted, he'll try to take you."

Sakura swallowed.

"But once you get into his compound, get his guard off and search the ring on him. If it's not on him then it's most likely in a lap of his complex or something like that. That's what Kakashi's for. You'll have to find a way to send him a signal if you can't find the ring on Taiso. There's no picture of it, so just look for anything that looks or resembles one."

"Can't Kakashi do the Sexy no Jutsu and turn himself into a girl while I go search the compound?"

Kakashi's eyebrow rose as he stiffened slightly.

"What?" Sakura defended. "You should be experienced, seeing as how you're always reading retarded graphic porn written by a toad hermit."

"Point taken," he mumbled. "But no. He's a skilled ninja, Sakura. He'll be able to see through a mere transformation."

Sakura groaned.

"But this is your advantage," Kakashi pointed out kindly. "Women are looked down upon in society and are taken advantage of. But kunoichis are different. They have a higher hand on their side because of the underestimating men mistakenly propose over them. Don't worry, I'll be there if anything goes wrong."

Sakura looked down at her knees, finding little interest. Yes, Kakashi's presence did make the whole thing seem a whole lot safer, but she doubted he would be able to do much once Taiso had her alone and secluded—vulnerable to the ravishment.

"Let's go through the plan in detail, then," Kayuri said briskly.

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Sakura trudged down the street, obviously depressed. She was given money to go buy some accessories for her part of the mission and Kayuri beside her had offered to help out.

She had gotten out of her ANBU uniform and looked as pretty as ever—like a normal teenage girl of her age—in her black short and red tank top over dark leather boots. And in their conversations back at the jounin headquarters, Sakura knew she was anything but. It seemed almost out of place for someone like Kayuri to be already in ANBU, unless she was a genius, just like Kakashi or Sasuke's nail-color-obsessed, touchy-with-his-girl-side hell of a brother.

"Kayuri-san?" Sakura began without the permission of her brain. "How did you get into ANBU? Why did you join?"

_Stupid! Those are personal questions, Sakura!_

Kayuri looked at her for a moment before replying. "I was nominated for it, you could say."

"You must be really good then."

"Why?" Kayuri asked with intrigue laced in her voice.

"Well, it's not everyday that you see someone our age get into ANBU. Jounin level is even a bit more common."

_Sakura, you should stop making a fool out of yourself and crawl in a hole and die so you can stop making Kayuri-san feel uncomfortable. _

But Kayuri didn't seem to think so. She laughed. "You think so? Well, Kakashi-senpai was in even before he was eighteen."

Sakura gasped inwardly. She always knew Kakashi had been in ANBU, but never quite registered that fact completely. While she had heard many times that he had been a genius, she hadn't really caught it up with her brain to figure out that he was probably already an ANBU captain at her age. "Who nominated you?" Sakura continued in curiosity, her brain giving up in trying to convince her otherwise.

Kayuri was silent as the two kept walking down to the clothes shop. No doubt she seemed rather reluctant to share. Sensing the tension, Sakura cursed herself and mumbled, "Sorry, that was really personal."

"No it's fine, don't worry about it," Kayuri waved it off. "It's just…I'm not really the same as most other people."

"It's okay if you don't want to talk about it. I was just being curious," Sakura apologized, feeling unbelievably stupid.

The silence stretched on between them as they walked through the double doors of the shop. The interior was brightly lit with clothes of all shapes, sizes and color hanging on the wall for display. Shelves and racks littered the place and it was crowded. The plump woman in the corner bustling about seemed completely unaware of her new customers.

"Alright, you'll want to look for silk things—delicate ones that will looked like they've been used before, but still good," Kayuri ordered, looking around. "We'll put this under mission expenses."

"We?"

Kayuri turned to her and smiled widely. "I'm the ANBU supervision, given the benefit of the consideration."

Sakura blinked. "You're coming with us?"

Kayuri shrugged nonchalantly and proceeded to look through yukatas. "Flanking, really. I have my own target to take care of and since he's in the gang with Taiso, Tsunade sent me along. But these are two different missions and I'm probably not traveling with you."

"But why can't you just take my place and I'll get your target for you?" Sakura whined, close to begging.

Kayuri shook her head. "ANBU missions are different. There are certain procedures to follow that a normal shinobi won't know of. I'll be most likely behind you guys. But don't get distracted by my part. I do what I have to do, it has nothing to do with your mission."

Disappointed, Sakura flipped through the many colors of yukata silk, not really taking in or considering what she was seeing.

"Stop spacing out and start choosing," Kayuri warned with a smile, snapping Sakura back to the present. "I suggest something like red and gold. It's supposed to make a woman look delicate." With that, Kayuri began tugging out all the gold embroidered red silk yukatas in sight.

The noise of it clattering apparently attracted the plump owner's attention, because she quickly sidled over to them, looking a bit agitated. "If you wanted anything, you should ask for help instead of ripping out all the precious clothing," she said shrilling, snatching one back from Kayuri's hands.

Kayuri wasn't impressed. "Well, seeing as you were too busy to notice customers, I thought it would have been kinder to leave you alone and get on with our business." She promptly tugged that yukata back. "Please excuse us, we have some serious matters to report to and cannot afford to be stalled. Come on, Sakura."

Sakura then found herself being led to the dressing rooms in the back, which was just a maze of curtains.

"You'll want to hurry, though, we're supposed to meet at the gates in two hours," Kayuri said, shutting the curtains behind Sakura throwing the rest of the yukatas in.

"Four hours. Knowing Kakashi-sensei, he'll be two hours late," Sakura sighed from within, stripping off her skirt.

"Exactly. That's why I told him to meet right now. That way, when he's late, he'll be on time."

Sakura nodded to herself as she struggled with the sash around her waist, feeling a slight twitch of jealously stab inside her that she didn't think of the plan. When the sash looped the wrong way when she pulled, it knotted itself, causing the whole this to get stuck in a mess. She groaned in frustration and tried to rip the whole thing off.

"Having trouble with the sash?" Kayuri asked, stepping in the curtain without asking—it seemed almost natural for her. Feeling suddenly self conscious, Sakura attempted to drag up the yukata higher over her bra, but only received a hiss of annoyance from her dark haired friend.

"Come on, we're both girls," she grumbled, undoing the knot on the sash. "It's not like we've never seen boobs or anything."After a minute of slender, skilled and fast fingers twirling around and tugging, the sash was finally back to the way it was supposed to be—a long streak of silk.

"You know how to tie it, right?" Kayuri asked, handing it back to Sakura.

"Well, seeing as how I sort of messed up the first time, I think you should do it for safe measure," she mumbled, handing it back. _Pretty, skilled, smart AND fashionable. Kayuri was the ideal kunoichi. _

Sakura watched in admiration as Kayuri swiftly and gracefully wrapped the sash under the folds, brought the right end through the loop of the other, twisted the two across in the back and secured by widening the fabric to cover up the knot. And when Sakura was placed in front of the mirror, she could honestly say that it looked nice.

"Now, if the prostitute house won't accept something like this, it's their problem," Kayuri sighed.

"The prostitute house rejects clothing?" Sakura asked, intrigued.

"Well, not really reject in particular, but you know, they prefer the more…revealing stuff. But it's not so much the clothing as who's inside. Just make sure to let them think you're skilled."

At the mention of the mission objective, Sakura stiffened.

Kayuri clearly noticed this for she quickly said, "Don't worry, you'll be fine. Kakashi will cover for you. You just need to do your part and everything's good. If all goes wrong, we're only gonna die."

"Didn't Kakashi used to say that once?"

"Maybe," Kayuri chirped happily. "Come on, let's pay up and we'll be onto getting those wooden clogs."

Sakura almost winced as she pictured the things Jiraiya wore. They looked like they were meant to be some kind of percussion instrument rather than walking utensils. Very uncomfortable, heavy and draggy.

---------------------------------------------------------

"Alright, this is as far as I'm gonna take you," Kayuri said, waving a goodbye and donning her ANBU mask back on. And in a hiss of blurs, she was gone.

Sakura stared after her at the gates, feeling as if she and safety were getting torn apart. Yes, she really did feel better and even more secure with Kakashi going with her and all, but if she was to infiltrate into enemy compounds as a prostitute, there was not much he could do for her there.

It was like practically waving off her virginity. She might as well add a farewell kiss along with chariots.

Maybe is she knew some sort of sneaky jutsu, it'd be better, but no, all she has is her monstrous strength, which she doubted would prove much when being outnumbered and outmatched by gang rapists.

Kane mane would have been nice.

Or maybe something like Shiranshin no jutsu.

But seeing and registering that she could not use any of those things, Sakura heaved a deep sigh and leaned against the left pole of the gate. She didn't really care of Kakashi was late or not—they had plenty of time due to the enemy's delay in the raid—but the shoes! They were so heavy and difficult to walk in. The bottom were practically two wooden stumps that threatened to spill the delicate balance with every step.

As she stood there, staring blankly up at the sky, Sakura let her mind drift around.

She wasn't really given a choice on this mission, no. But she can't say she wasn't glad to have an important one where she was actually a main role. Since she became chuunin two years ago, she's been on all sorts of missions, but only as a helper medic. If this was one chance to maybe prove to everyone, and especially Kakashi, she added with noting, that she was capable, then she better give it her all.

Easy for her to say, the mission hasn't started yet.

Her expression began to change on autopilot as she thought of the consequences and events she was to undergo. The plan had drifted to her mind now that she had nothing else left to dwell on nor had any other form of thoughts of entertainment to sustain her head, but she dismissed the thought that it might have been helpful to plan ahead, so would Kakashi have it.

She was walking into a dangerous, powerful, malicious band of—oh, what was it?—GANG RAPISTS! They have abducted poor girls, stole their virginity never to give it back and tortured them before kindly ending their long awaited death. If she was going in straightforwardly as a normal assassin, she would be a little less worried.

Maybe she preferred death over rape?

Well, to her, Kakashi had the easy job here. Why couldn't the gang rapists be homosexual and have interests in their own sex? Then Sakura would be the one searching and Kakashi would be the one getting raped. Well, no, he wouldn't get raped because he'd be too skilled and powerful for that. He's probably end up splitting all their asses into fourths with his Raikiri or something.

At the though, Sakura's lips twisted into a sneer despite her attempts to try and stop thinking about Kakashi fighting in the buff. She could see his arms snapping away kunais, his no doubt toned and muscular body moving gracefully (but her mental imge of his face was a blur, because she couldn't imagine a proper and fitting one for him), and her mental images traveled down and perverted.

_Most jounins have sexy bodies, so I'm guessing Kakashi's no different,_ Sakura thought. _But back to what I was thinking, what would his--_

"Yo."

_--look like?_


	3. Departure, Memories and Campfire Gossip?

"Yo."

Sakura's brain took exactly three seconds to register what was happening. The first second was for the mental images of Kakashi fighting naked to dissipate, leaving her with a dumb and blank stare. The next second was dedicated to keeping her eyes in check when they saw the cover of a familiar orange book. The third second was for trying to think up an explanation for the blush she had on her face.

"Uh--" she uttered stupidly.

"That's it?" Kakashi said, feigning disappointment. "What happened to the usual greeting of 'Kakashi-sensei'?"

Sakura blinked furiously (the image her brain still had Kakashi is prior mode of duress) and replied hastily, "Oh, hi, Kakashi-sensei," before it realized with some surprise that he wasn't wearing his jounin uniform, but some black pants beneath a dark blue shirt that looked suspiciously ex-ANBU-ish—hooked to his mask, of course. He had a shuriken holster around his thigh but not waist, his pants—form the knee down—were covered in gray loose stocking-like things and if Sakura was correct in her recalling, then he resembled a Kakashi version of Zabuza.

"You're nervous about the mission?"

_Am I nervous about getting raped and losing my virginity? Gee, what do you think? _Clearly, Sakura's thoughts must have translated onto her face because then Kakashi asked tentatively, "Sakura, are you alright?"

"Yes," Sakura snapped almost viciously.

"Let's get going, then. Since they delayed the raid, we don't have to rush and we'll probably have to set up camp for the night," Kakashi explained, pointing to his backpack. "Ready to go?"

To Sakura, that went along the lines of "Ready to face your worst fear? Ready to get traumatized for life? READY FOR RAPE?"

She could have done so many things right then. She could start bawling at his feet and not go. She could have feigned sick. She could have swiped out a kunai and jab it in her heart and go, "Oh, what do you know? My hand slipped, so I guess I can't go on this mission."

Instead, she just nodded.

-------------------------------------------

"Come in," Tsunade ordered, looking up from the pile of scrolls splashed out in front of her with a sigh. The door opened to a cheery looking Shizune carrying a tray of tea. Tsunade looked at her for a moment with a queer expression, then turned back to the scroll she was reading, her eyes not moving. She's read the same line over for about five times already.

"You're oddly diligent today, Tsunade-sama," Shizune commented, setting the tray down, disturbing some papers in the process.

Tsunade was silent as she reached for a cup and sipped. "Hm."

"Tsunade-sama…are you worried about Sakura-san?" Shizune asked gently, trying to peek into Tsunade's face.

The Godaime heaved a heavy sigh and leaned back in her chair. "Do you think she was fit for this mission, Shizune?"

"Well, I'm sure you have your reasons for sending her--"

"Do you think sending her was a good idea? Maybe this mission was too much for her to handle."

"Are you second guessing yourself?" Shizune asked, slightly surprised. Tsunade must have really liked Sakura as a student.

"I don't know, Shizune. Sakura seems perfectly capable, I know. Her emotions have developed a lot since Sasuke's leave a couple years ago, but…"

"Physically?"

"I've been thinking since I sent her off…I don't think she's had sex yet."

The sentence lingered in the air for a moment before her attendant registered them.

"She's still a virgin? I thought all the chuunins were—"

Tsunade nodded. "But that doesn't change the fact that she's still one. She's innocent and pure and that's one thing I learned. And that's also why I think maybe sending her on this kind of mission was not her thing. Ino or even Tenten would be much better suited, but they're all away."

"But it's too late now, Tsunade-sama," Shizune pointed out, taking a seat in the sofa across the room. "You shouldn't worry. Kakashi's with her."

"About that, you weren't here when the mission was detailed, Shizune. He's not gonna be with her during her part of the mission. She's on her own once Taiso gets there. And he's practically on the same level as Kakashi when it comes to ability. He'll have trouble with him even if they were on equal grounds."

Shizune looked down at her feet, finding little interest in her toes. "We'll just have to trust her."

"Hm. I guess we do."

--------------------------------------

The journey was carried out in practical silence. They had no need to rush—like Kakashi said—so they were traveling on slower ground, which was…the ground. The sun was setting rather slowly and it wasn't too hot. Maybe Sakura would have enjoyed everything better if she didn't have to wear the tight yukata or the Jiraiya shoes.

And beside her, Kakashi was deeply into his book again. How he could read while walking and not bump into anything was beyond Sakura's knowledge. At one point, she even stuck her foot out in front of his path in an attempt to trip him, but he just strode over it with a casual higher-than-normal lift of his foot.

"Kakashi-sensei?"

"Hm?"

"How can you read when you're walking?" Sakura asked finally, skipping on the dirt road.

"It takes practice," he said simply with a hint of a smile.

"How can you practice that?"

"It takes the diversion of concentration."

"That's a bit paradoxical."

"Maybe, but as you can see, it works," Kakashi she said, and to emphasize the point, he promptly hopped over a giant rock on the side of the road. Sakura glared at him briefly before ignoring the whole matter.

"Is that book so interesting?" She asked, annoyed and desperate for some kind of relief from the growing monotony.

"I'd say so."

"Can I read it?"

Kakashi paused and his head inclined a tiny bit to show that his attention had been snapped away from his book. He appeared to be deep in thought for a moment before replying in a stolid voice, "I would love you say yes, Sakura, but I don't think you can handle it at your measly age of eighteen."

"Is it really that porny?"

"Is it really as corrupting as everyone says? You can make that decision. It's porn, though."

Sakura sighed and focused on the dirt road ahead, which was darkening due to the setting sun, and she entertained herself by counting the number of birds that passed their path. As that soon grew boring, her attention went to the forest on her left side or the lake view on the right. Their walk slowed somewhat, but the two kept going for another twenty minutes or so before Kakashi finally said decisively, "We should set up camp."

Sakura nodded in response, stopping in her tracks and glad they were going to rest. The yukata made it rather hard for her to take deep breaths properly when they were walking.

"We should stay off the main road, though," Kakashi advised, heading for the forest and holstering his backpack off his shoulders to ready the tent.

"I get to take my yukata off, right?" Sakura prompted, following him swiftly and awkwardly in her clanking shoes.

"I guess so, but you'll have to put it back on in the morning," he said simply, choosing a tiny opening of trees not too far from the edge of the forest by the road.

"Then what was the point of me wearing it all the way here if I could have just put it on tomorrow?"

"Stiff fabric."

"Huh?"

"Fabric is stiff when they're first bought home from the store and if you had only just put it on tomorrow right before we get to the compound, they're gonna know it's brand new and could possibly suspect something. This way, the fabric will be looser when we arrive."

"Oh," Sakura mumbled and watched as Kakashi pulled out something that resembled a washcloth. He tugged and pulled at it for a moment, pulling it out to full shape. "_That's _our tent!" Sakura almost hissed. It looked more like a piece of giant, black paper towel.

"Yup," he replied happily.

"That won't even shelter a squirrel," Sakura said, striding over and snatching from his hands. The fabric was soft-almost silk like, and the material, just from the feel, was waterproof.

"It's a stretchy fabric," Kakashi defended, snatching it back. "You'll see." With that, he brought it to the middle of their little space and set it carefully on the floor. He bent down next to it and his hands flew to some unfamiliar hand seals. But Sakura recognized to be—electricity based.

"Kakashi, no matter how stretchy it is, I doubt it'll expand to the size of--"

There was an electricity kind of jerky hiss through the air and a loud POOF. Next thing she knew, a black, two-man sized tent had appeared out, triangular shape and all.

"—A tent," Sakura gawked. "How'd you do that?"

"It's called memory cloth," Kakashi explained. "Regularly flexible, but when you put a current through it, it expands and becomes rigid."

"Hm, sounds useful," Sakura mumbled, picking herself a giant log and lagged it to their supposed campsite. "Oh, is Kayuri-san near? We're not reaching enemy compound until tomorrow, she might as well join us for the night."

There were two reasons behind Sakura's offer: to break the inevitable tension and awkwardness that's no doubt going to settle over her and Kakashi, and to break the inevitable tension that's nod doubt going to settle over her and Kakashi.

Yes, she has shared beds with many other teammates, but those were out of necessity, and they were never alone. Now, after almost two years of practically no communication, it felt awkward to be sharing a tent with a man that no doubt would get her "attention," and since she was a woman and he was a man, given the consideration and benefit of the doubt, the situation could get from mutual to actual. Sakura almost laughed for she's never seen Kakashi with a woman before, but it didn't matter. She was old enough to be an adult, mature enough to be an adult and she needed to be treated like and adult. Kayuri's company would only make sure to keep things natural between the teacher-sensei relationship.

"She's around. Not bothering to hide her chakra, I guess," Kakashi replied, helping himself to Sakura's log with book in hand.

"Hey, that's my seat."

"You didn't seem to sit in it."

"But I got the log."

"You can't own the log, so therefore it is open for everyone's use."

"But it's MINE."

Sighing, Kakashi promptly scooted over and inch or two to the right.

"What was that for?" Sakura drawled out.

"It was a gesture for you to sit," Kakashi said, his eye squinting into an anime smile.

"Kakashi-sensei, my butt is bigger than two inches," Sakura growled. "If you want me to sit, you'll have to scoot more."

Another inch was exposed.

Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Sakura calmly strode over to Kakashi and sat down as slowly and carefully she could beside him, trying to balance her entire body on about three inches of flooring. Then suddenly, both of her elbows jabbed back into him and he was thrown promptly backward.

"What was THAT for?" He asked, getting back up and picking twigs out of his hair.

"For taking away my seat," Sakura shot triumphantly, placing her legs dramatically over the rest of the log to prove her point.

"Fine, you can have your seat. I'll go look for food then," Kakashi said simply.

"You didn't bring anything?"

"Consider this outdoor survival, Sakura," he smiled, disappearing into the trees.

Sakura leaned back on her hands and stared at the darkening canopy. If she had been any younger, she could have been scared to be in a deep, dark, creepy forest when night was falling. A few minutes passed in eerie, rustling silence.

And not that Sakura had the log, she didn't really want it anymore. Regretting her decision about squeezing Kakashi away. His company, somehow, actually made her feel better. Warmer?

Argh, it was hard to explain. Now that she thought about it, her feelings for—no, TO—Kakashi had changed since she was a genin. She used to crane her neck to look up at him (literally and physically), to marvel at his abilities—his capabilities, plastering her face with heartfelt smiles every time she heard, "Oh, you're under Hatake? Wow!" She had respected him, feared him and his reputation. Looked up to him as a teacher, a mentor, and idol—the ideal shinobi she was supposed to be following after.

But the evens with Sasuke had left her feeling tinges of negligence that he couldn't teach her much. It did not taint her admiration toward him—just made her angry at herself for not being worthy enough for his attention. She worked harder, under Tsunade, and was brought back to normal level, on equal grounds with all the things she missed out and Kakahsi shown her decent amounts of friendship and care—appearing with baskets of fruits when she was sick, bringing in flowers when she was hospitalized, sending her cards and gifts on her birthdays and even getting her out of tough situations.

Since she became a chunin, however and began working in the hospital, she and Kakashi grew distant. Contact between them faded save the cheery greetings reserved at arbitrary meetings all over Konoha.

She missed him.

_Sakura's blurry eyes fluttered open to a splash of sunlight over her bedsheets. The familiar room and smell told her immediately that she was in the hospital. But this time not on duty—as a patient. Her mind automatically recalled the events that led up to her place._

_She was being chased by a certain blue giant with a razor/shaver for a sword. The skin on her back had been torn to shreds and stung each time she blocked off and attack that even her super strength could not hold against. Then a particularly fast and sharp jerk to her left by Kisame caught her off guard and in the next second, she felt like she was being torn apart inside out. Like her gut was being ripped out of her. She vaguely registered herself slamming into a tree before a shadowy figure hovered over her, sharp, spiked weapon raised to execute the final blow. And she saw her entire life flash before her eyes. Parents. Friends. Ino. Naruto. Sasuke. Kakashi-sensei. She had closed her eyes in defeat, waiting for the stinging pain to be over with so she could die. But it never came. Instead, a faint scent of roses fluttered through the air as her mind left for the empty darkness. And a voice that whispered to her beside her ear, "Trust me."_

_Then, she woke up in the hospital. Surprise, surprise. She sat up, ignoring the throbs she received from her scabbing wounds. On her stand by the bed were get-well balloons of all shapes and sizes tied to it, cards littered the scene, sweets covered the rest along with ramen tickets. Her eyes had almost watered. But they rested on something amidst all the rest in the middle. It was a simple and plain cup of Sakura flowers. Inside were tattered and old looking ones that told her had withered over the days it's been here. There were fresher ones too, but in the front was the most beautiful one—crispy, clean, new, blooming and pink. At the bottom of the cup was a little note that said, "Get well soon. Kakashi." Sakura smiled. The gift might have been simple, but it meant so many things in so many different ways. His gift had told her he was still there for her—that he was still near if she needed anything. _

Sakura blinked. That particular memory had been rather unexpected. Well, maybe not so much since she had been thinking about Kakashi, but—

Suddenly, Sakura's figure sat up, alert. Someone was near and Kakashi was taking far too long if he was hunting.

Her fingers moved almost immediately to her kunai pouch, her mind calculating and anticipating nervously.

-------------------------------------------

The compound was a web of mazes put together—no outsider could find their way around in it. Hidden entrances gave easy access to secret chambers and resting places while traps endangered the lives who entered recklessly. The lighting in general was dark—like the eerie silence that so often engulfed the inner compound. The sliding doors and walls shifted accordingly to confused intruders and floors were set over sinkholes. Only the ones aware could find their way.

A knock on a door was followed by it creaking open to a dark haired man.

"You called, Taiso-sama?" Yajima addressed politely, averting his gaze from the half naked body of his supposed boss.

"Yes, I did," Taiso grunted from the plush bed. "I want all preparations made for tomorrow night's raid with a five hour rental at the okiya for selections before we bring them here, understand?"

"Understood."

"Good. You may disperse the girls and give out men a treat now, Yajima."

"Hai."

"One more thing."

"Yes, Taiso-sama?" Yajima addressed stiffly to mask his nervousness. It's always been like this.

"Get me profile information first thing tomorrow morning as soon as Hana arrives."

"Hai," Yajima replied, bowing out of the room and closing the door behind him.

---------------------------------------------------

Sakura's hand around the kunai tightened instinctively as the shadowy figure drew closer, a hand reaching behind his or her back and—

"Kayuri-san?"

The black haired girl stepped up and grinned. "Did I surprise you?"

"Well, you try getting snuck up on while in a dark, creepy forest," Sakura grumbled in annoyance, re-pocketing her weapon.

"No need to be so tense, Sakura-chan," Kayuri assured with a friendly smile. "Where's Kakashi?"

"Went to get food. Or at least, he said."

"Okay," Kayuri shrugged, standing up again and rummaging around the ground around her. What followed next was a long few seconds worth of wood splintering and crackling. "Sakura-chan, put your monstrous strength to good use and help me get firewood," she hissed, already picking up two mammoth size logs.

Sakura obeyed silently and gathered up all the wood she could see in sight. A minute later, a descent amount of logs had been gathered to create a fair sized campfire.

"Shoot, I forgot my matches," Sakura hissed, finding the absence of said object when her hand reached into her sack.

"We're ninjas, Sakura. We don't need matches," Kayuri taunted before she flashed some seriously fast and easy hand seals and blew light wisps of flame into the wood. After a few moments of coaxing, it finally lit up. There was a rustling of leaves and then a bored voice called out, "Mm, wise words, Kayuri-san."

The two girls looked up. "Kakashi-sensei," Sakura began in her usual accusatory voice. "It does not take that long even for a normal person to hunt for food."

"Well, you see--"

"There's no old lady in need of grocery helps out here," Kayuri interjected. "I doubt there are black cats either to cross your path." Obviously she's been on the receiving end of some of his lame stories as well.

"And you can't really get lost on the road to life. What took you, Kakashi-sensei?"

He sighed in defeat. "Looks like I've used up all my best excuses."

"Best? Wow, shows me what you're capable of," Sakura retorted, conveniently ignoring the fact that when he wanted to lie, not even Kami could tell the difference.

"Did I use the one where an old lady asked me--"

"Yes," Sakura and Kayuri said in unison.

"Oh. Never mind, then," he shrugged, producing three dead and limp fish from behind his back.

-------------------------------------------

Twenty-minutes later (wow, I'm descriptive):

The smell of roasting fish floated up into the air above the glowing embers, trailing with the wind, past the top of the canopy. Sakura was halfway through hers when she noticed something very weird. Kakashi didn't even touch his—he was too busy reading Icha Icha.

"Aren't you going to eat, Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asked, hoping he wouldn't know the real intention of her wanting to see him maskless. "You're book come even before health? I'm disappointed, seeing as how you're always urging me and Naruto to eat healthy and all."

Kakashi lowered his book slowly and fixed her with a blank stare from his eternally dark, black orb. "You didn't honestly think that this mission would provide you with an opportunity to see behind my mask?"

"Oh, come on," Sakura hissed in frustration. "I don't think you can be that ugly! Ayumi-nee-chan was practically drooling over you the other time we were--" Sakura stopped herself then, but it was too late. She had forgotten that Kakashi—up to that point—had never really been revealed to what the intentions of Team 7's gig back when they were still genins (ep.101).

"Do I know what you're talking about?" Kakashi said, a hand on his chin, looking as if deep in though, his eye crinkling into a frown as his head tilted upward—the image looked a lot like the moment before his assessment of, "Maaa, my first impression of you guys…I hate you."

Kayuri stared questioningly at Sakura.

"Well you see--"

"Sakura…are you trying to tell me that the time you guys invited me to Ichiraku—not to mention the only time—was merely due to that fact that you wanted to see my face?" Kakashi drawled out. "I feel betrayed."

"Well, if you didn't reveal to us that your real face was attached to a mask, then it might have been more worthwhile," Sakura retaliated, hurling her fish twig into the fire. "We were betting with your face too," she said to annoy him.

"Really?" He said with mild interest.

"Yeah. Naruto was all about you having giant wobbly rubbery fish lips and Sasuke said you have buck teeth," Sakura laughed.

"And what did you bet on, Sakura-chan?" Kayuri taunted, slipping her a sly grin before keeping her face to the question.

_Damn her…_

"What _did_ you bet on?" Kakashi echoed.

Sakura looked away. "I…bet on tiny, kissy, bony, ugly fishy lips."

Kayuri burst out laughing. Kakashi, however, didn't find it so amusing.

"One peek?"

He shook his head behind his book. Sakura slumped.

"Sakura, Kayuri, go to bed. I'll be on watch tonight," Kakashi ordered like a father telling his daughters to behave.

"Hey, you can't boss me around--" Sakura started.

Kakashi peeked an eye open at her and she shut up. "Fine," she grumbled, getting up with Kayuri. "You're staying for the night, right, Kayuri-san?"

"If it's not too much trouble on you two," she said with a guilty smile.

"No, not at all," Kakashi said.

-----------------------------------------

"Have you ever had a boyfriend?" Sakura whispered thoughtfully to Kayuri next to her once both of them had settled in the tent.

Her friend shifted around to face her, her expression that of mild intrigue. "Why?"

Sakura shrugged awkwardly lying down. "I was just being curious."

Kayuri heaved a sigh. "Yes, I supposed so. But I haven't seen him a while and--"

"What was he like?"

"Oh him? He was really nice to me. Saved me out of a really tight situation, you know. But this was never really the life I chose. Everything sort of happened as an accident," her voice trailed off and her eyes closed to reveal the briefest moment of sadness. "But Sakura, if there's one thing I learned in my years of life it's that you shouldn't regret your decisions. You can't live forever, so I believe it's important to hold onto everything while it's still there. Live a happy life of no turning back."

Sakura thought for a minute and found that what Kayuri said had been heartfelt, honest and true.

"When life gives you lemons, what do you do?"

"Make lemonade?"

"No! You throw them at the enemy," Kayuri joked and smiled as Sakura giggled. "Tomorrow will be tense for you."

Sakura's giggle died out to be replaced by rigidity. "Yeah. That."

"Just relax. Here, we'll talk about something else."

Sakura thought again for a minute. "How did you get to know Kakashi-sensei?"

"Oh, he was in my squad at one point."

"Really?"

"Captain."

"Of course, no offence."

"None taken. It was all throughout the time when Orochimaru was back and Tsunade-shishou was appointed Godaime. I was fresh with all the ANBU stuff because I just got in then, and I had to go on several S-class missions with him to bring Konoha back up."

"Wait, you were in ANBU when you were only about fifteen? Is that even possible? Itachi Uchiha, if you know who he is, was in when he was thirteen, does that mean you're a genius, too?"

Kayuri shrugged. "Geniousness comes with it's goods and bads. I mean, it was a privilege, but the stress," she let out a dramatic groan. "I mean, it's easy for one like Kakashi to handle everything, he's skilled and stuff, but I had a hard time keeping up. If it weren't for his training sparring sessions with me, I would have lacked behind."

"Bell test?"

"They were hell. Don't even get me started on those."

Sakura laughed as she remembered her bell test with her sensei. It was not the funnest thing she's done in her life…but it taught her the concept of teamwork. "Are there a lot of women in ANBU?"

"Actually, yeah. I mean, the numbers are a bit biased on the male side, but from what I heard, it's much better than the complete sadistic and sexist age of men domination in certain countries out west around twenty years ago. You know, the Segregation Era."

"Studied it in history class," Sakura replied. "I never thought about that, to be honest, the women in ANBU. All I've seen in my life are men from them. What do you do in there?"

"I really shouldn't be telling you all this. It is supposed to be confidential."

"Come on, this is gossip time. You know, bed talk. Girl talk."

"You had better keep your mouth shut."

"Promise. Besides, if I like the sound of it, I might actually consider joining one day."

Kayuri smiled encouragingly at her before going on to the question. "Well, high class missions usually occupy us most of the time—investigations, assassinations, retrieval, clean up—all sorts. But there's also training, which takes up the most of the rest of our free time and we basically get our clothes shredded by each other or some of the elites. But for some of the women there, their free time is carried out by gawking and drooling over the hotties there."

"Are there a lot?"

"The truth is yes. I'm sure every girl your age by now knows that a jounin's body is practically irresistible. Now think ANBU. And the uniform."

Sakura felt laughter erupt from inside her. Wow, the ANBU men would look REALLY sexy. "Flirting?"

"All over campsites. It's like those highschools I've visited. You know, Kakashi's pretty popular with the girls at ANBU."

Sakura looked up, stifling her laughter. She could imaging Kakashi in the spotlight as a mysterious dark knight of some kind there to help the helpless. But that would be a bit too dramatic and out of his league. "I'm barely imagining it."

"No, serious," Kayuri defended, cocking her head back to indicate the silhouette of his slouched against a rock, reading his book. "Every time he appears there, all the women turns to me to try and hit him and it's really rather annoying, you know. For one, I really don't know what he looks like no matter how persistent they are. Once, he showed up with Genma, who, if you can believe it, used to be in ANBU with him, and all the women practically went crazy. I mean, you could feel the competition on campus. As if the everyday normal flirting over our already enrolled guys aren't enough, honestly."

"Sound like fun."

"It is and some of the comments they make…albeit they might be a bit provocative, but hell, they're funny."

"I should join," Sakura mumbled to no one in particular. "It'll be a change from normal A and B rank missions and the hospital."

"But we take our work seriously. Once the missions gets handed out, all emotions are erased."

"On second thought…"

"But I bet you could make it if you tried," Kayuri reassured, patting Sakura's shoulder.

There was a momentary pause.

"Hey, earlier, did you really bet on Kakashi having fish lips?"

Sakura felt herself blush somewhat.

"As I thought. You lied, didn't you?"

In truth, Sakura had lied. She had bet on the most reasonable thing and not for no reasons. Many a girl who has glanced at her ex sensei's face was melting to puddles on the ground.

"You bet he was really good looking, didn't you?"

"Sexy, actually."

"That's dirty," Kayuri sneered. "But it's probably true. I have to agree with you on that one."

"Well then why the sudden question?"

Kayuri looked away, the smile still on her face. "Just trying to help out, Sakura. Maybe one day you'll understand and realize what you were looking for."

"And what was I looking for?"

"Only you can know that," Kayuri whispered, turning around so her back faced the pink haired kunoichi. "We should go to sleep. No means to make you feel bad, but tomorrow really is a tense day for you. You'll need to arrive at the okiya at--"

"Eight, before the raid, yes I know," Sakura sighed.

"Goodnight, then."

"Yeah."

Sakura propped her back against her hands and stared at the tent ceiling that reflected dim, flickering rays of the campfire.

_What I was looking for…_

_A life of no turning back…_

Kayuri does have her deep moments, I guess.

Sakura yawned once and cast a sideways glance at Kayuri beside her. It almost amazed her how their friendship was so automatic, so unquestionable, so natural. Kayuri was no doubt popular in Konoha and for good reason too—she was really easy to get along with—sentimental when need be, good advice, pretty, intelligent, skilled, funny, witty, philosophical, adaptable, rich (or at least Sakura deducted from her wallet), mysterious (though not in Kakashi's way of I'm-so-cool-in-my mask)—and practically everything a kunoichi wanted to be. But her mind drifted back to her words again.

_Just helping out with what you were looking for…_

_A life of no turning back…_

_Ugh, I'll think about them tomorrow._

_-------------------------------------------------_

Kakashi sat stiffly against the medium sized boulder, re-reading one of his favorite passages where Junko seduces his girl. His masked lips quirked into a smile as she heard stifled laughter from inside the tent followed by some shuffling around. Form the voice, he could tell it was Sakura.

Sakura…

Just like her impression of him no doubt changed over the last couple of years, his didn't just remain static either. In a blur of missions, she had ourgrown the old, dependent, "kyaa! Sasuke-kun!" damsel in distress into a beautiful, capable, independent and mature Haruno Sakura.

And those legs—

Stop it, he told himself, shaking the images out of his head. Leave it to Icha Icha to make him think weird thoughts about his student. And so sudden, too because they haven't spent much time for reunions since a while now. He wasn't normally like that--he kept himself in check. But she was definitely prettier than when they last encountered on close proximity level--_Kakashi,_ he told himself warningly. Although it was true that technically, since she was a chuunin, he couldn't really be considered her teacher anymore, but he couldn't help feel that he was still over her due to the constant honorific she included every time she said his name. Then a muffled voice erased the train of thought about Sakura from his mind and reminded him of their other companion, Kayuri, and his gaze averted the tent carefully, lingering back to the book.

_Became friends that quickly, hm?_

Sighing, Kakashi flipped a page and continued reading.

Morning came as quickly as the night had vanished. The next thing Sakura new, Kakashi was gently shaking her awake her shoulder. Her nose registered it first by his exotic scent. They her eyes opened to the familiar blob of unfamiliar black. "Ohayo," she yawned and the word came out deep and slurred. A tilt of her head told her that Kayuri had gone. "Where's Kayuri-san?"

"She left. Remember, she had her own target," Kakashi replied in a soft tone, adding a smile.

"Oh. Right."

"Get up, Sakura. The mission starts from this point on."


	4. Commence Mission

It was five thirty when Sakura checked the time to set off to continued to the okia in Amegakure. But what appealed to her was the strange climate settings. Even with her softening yukata back on, she could have sworn it was getting more and more cold as they progressed further. Then right in front of her eyes she saw her breath steam out. Her body trembled.

"Sakura, are you alright?" Kakashi asked, turning his head from Icha Icha.

"I'm fine," Sakura replied. "Just really cold."

"This is south Amegakure's snow season. From the weather scrolls we received, we should be meeting plenty of snow and cold," Kakashi explained. "Do you want my sweater?" He asked, jabbing his thumb to his backpack behind his back.

"Aren't you cold?" Sakura asked, noticing the sleeves of his Zabuza outfit—or lack there of. She felt cold just looking at them. "How can you not be cold?"

He shrugged. "I'm fine, but you look like you could seriously use some warmth. Here, let me get you my sweater."

They paused for a moment as he lowered his backpack, rummaged inside for a few seconds and produced his dark blue Konoha sweater from within.

"Oh my god, thank you," Sakura said hastily before taking it and slipping it on easily.

"You'll have to take it off when we near the compound though and I'll tell you when that is," he finished, picking his backpack back up.

Sakura nodded briefly in understanding and straightened the dark blue material over her back. It was soft and slightly big for her, but at least she fit. And it was good insulation. Not to mention it smelled like Kakashi—the exotic scent that she could never place her finger on. It was there every time she was in close proximity of him—the smell of sharpness, fragrance and even the natural bit of forests and hinted sweat from extensive training. In fact, to sum it up, the smell, other than being described as masculine, could only have been described the word…Kakashi.

Taking a deep and good whiff, Sakura mentally assessed her situation. Her first objective was to try and push the prospect of the mission ahead out of her mind. She did not particularly enjoy thinking too much about getting up to face a bunch of gang rapists when they were under the impression that she was there to pleasure them. The nervous feeling of anticipation and worry thudded painfully in her chest ever since the morning progress…ever since Kakashi had told her firmly, "The mission starts from this point on."

But her only other train of thought to keep her occupied was Kakashi. Well, go figure, he was the only one with her even capable of holding a conversation.

"Kakashi-sensei," Sakura began, scrunching up her sleeves together to preserve the warmth. "What kind of person is Kayuri-san?"

"Eh?" Kakashi voiced, not expecting the question. He cocked his head in Sakura's direction only to find her staring intently up at him. "Why the question?"

Sakura shrugged. "She's seems to have been through a lot. I'm just curious. If she told you not to say anything, that's fine."

"Well, in that case, I will say that silence is golden," Kakashi replied apologetically.

And then silence fell again.

The suffocating feeling of nervousness was back in Sakura's chest and she swallowed roughly. If Kakashi took note of this, he was smart and considerate enough to not voice it out loud. Instead, he just seemed to understand, because he quickly said, splitting her pressured feeling in half with his cheery, serious and Kakashi voice that Sakura was so used to hearing, "It's good that you two are friends."

Sakura smiled against the cold. Yes, Kakashi did have his moments. Like he had done so many times before, he had turned something as insignificant as that sentence to mean so much to Sakura—he seemed to be able to manipulate everything to the perfect thing each situation called for.

------------------------------------------------------

Two hours later…

Kakashi helped Sakura up onto the branch he was standing on—Sakura could barely walk with those clogs, let along branch skip.

"You'll have to rid the sweater now, sorry," he mumbled to her. Sakura nodded and braced herself for the blast of icy air as she slid out of Kakashi's sweater.

Snow surrounded them—or rather, the forest they were in—the white covering the trees that had become less and less green the further they traveled. Snow piled in inches on the ground, reflecting off of the dimming sunlight, creating icicles on the bare branches they stood on. It was cold. No, freezing.

At least that was what ran through Sakura's mind as she stood shivering next to Kakashi. She could feel the warmth of his exposed skin radiating through the material of her yuakata. Was Kakashi immune to cold or something? His bare arms were open to the elements, but he was still warm!

And it was comforting for Sakura to stand beside him and feel his heat.

Even though they were there to peek on the okiya.

"Alright, there's no supervision ninjas around, we should be safe to go," Kakashi said softly to her, slipping off his Konoha headband and replacing with a simple black leather strip he fastened around his head.

And then Sakura wanted to collapse. She had told herself all throughout the night and their morning travel that she could do this, it was just a little seduction thing of find the ring and get out, leaving the killing to Kakashi. She would get the mission done, earn the respect and admiration from her friends, the approval and acknowledgement from Kakashi…she could get the promotion to jounin and everything but—

Her breath was a masked calm as she schooled her wildly beating heart to a calm—only to fail miserably. Her chest only seemed to constrict more, adding to the pain. She kept her composure calm, though, hoping against hope that Kakashi wouldn't notice her hands and legs shaking.

All the confidence she had been building up to that point out of her courage seemed to crumble. All along the way she had deluged herself into thinking that it was okay and that her last resort could simply be sneaking away, or killing herself, but the chances passed her by until she was forced to stand there. She was inexperienced. She's never had sex. She could get scarred for life. And at that moment, she felt she wanted to be anywhere, doing anything rather than there, waiting to do what she dreaded most right then. She was prepared to get down on her knees and break down crying. Anything to get her out of her situation. She would threaten Kakashi with her life. She could slit her wrists, bang her head against the tree, somehow make the earth split up and swallow her. Anything.

Unconsciously, her eyes closed and she felt her hear continue thudding painfully in her chest. She would have rather gone on assassination. _Calm, Sakura, calm. Please, calm._

Then she felt a firm hand press on her shoulder, snapping her eyes back open. She found herself staring into her sensei's masked face. Though only one eye was revealed, the strengthening look it gave her suddenly calmed her heartbeats, stabilized her breathing and halted her trembling hands and legs. Then he did something unexpected.

Between one blink and the next, Sakura found herself engulfed in strong and warm arms and Kakashi pulled her in for a brief hug before letting go.

Kakashi had…hugged her?

This was the man who despised getting his personal space breached, who had invisible walls up around him all the time that he lowered for nobody, this masked mysterious creature of so many characteristics that Sakura blamed the lack of adjectives there were in the world—had let id all go and given her a hug.

It was simple, it was brief, it was gentle, it was reassuring, it was—exactly what she needed.

"Commence mission," he whispered to her softly.

Sakura forced in and out a somewhat calm breath and nodded.

Then in a swift movement, Kakashi had picked her up with one hand under her knees and the other supporting her back. Sakura blushed unconsciously despite her will, knowing that wasn't a good time to feel embarrassed. And in a light, casual hop, Kakashi had landed on the snowy ground before Sakura even realized what was happening or feel him land.

She was set lightly on her feet and she tried to balance herself in the snow.

"Let's go."

-------------------------------------------

The okiya door opened to a blast of chilly air as two people stepped in. The middle-aged woman behind the desk looked up at the sudden iciness, realizing that a man had entered along with a pink haired girl.

_Hm, didn't Mother say they were expecting a new girl? _

"Ah, you must be the ones Mother had been expecting," she found herself saying. "Are you by any chance Hana?"

The girl nodded shyly.

"Alright, well you have guests expecting you in about an hour. You will only have a little time to ready yourself before they arrive," she explained. "And Mother wishes to speak with the two of you."

"Who are the guests?" The man asked, his voice deep and soft. "They certainly must be privileged to enjoy the company of Hana on one of her first runs."

"Oh, the client goes by the name Goku Taiso," the woman replied.

Sakura's heart beat loudly.

"Does he come regularly?" Kakashi asked beside her.

The woman looked thoughtful and uncertain for a moment before she said, "I'm not the right person to ask."

"Who's in charge here?"

"Her name is Warashi Hatsumomo. But we know her simply as Mother. And she would like to speak with you, if you could wait a moment for me to alert her of your arrival?"

Kakashi nodded, "Go."

The woman suddenly looked hesitant and unwilling—even sheepish, fixing him with a sly gaze. Kakashi, taking the hint, took a few steps toward her, cocking his head up with a sneer behind his mask. Sakura, realizing what he was doing, lowered her head to the ground and tried not to look as Kakashi leaned in to the kimono-wearing whore and wrapped an arm possessively around her middle.

"Just let her know I'm expecting an appointment then," he whispered in a low voice by the woman's ear, his voice too low and deep to be nothing but seductive. His free hand traveled into the folds of her kimono by her hand and caressed the skin gently.

He felt the woman tremble slightly next to him and he held back a smile.

"Do you have a name?" He asked softly, pulling his body up so their faces were inches apart.

"M-Mako," he whimpered weakly.

"Well, Mako, if you do me this favor, maybe I'll pay up later and we could have some quality time together," Kakashi said, leaning in so his masked lips brushed against hers briefly. Her eyes fluttered close and her lips puckered up slightly, reaching, hoping—

Kakashi pulled away.

Mako felt the warmth suddenly rip away from her, disappointed. Whoever this guy was, he was good. She wasn't even given a chance to seduce him—and she knew she was skilled through years of experience. "May I ask for your name?"

"Shiranui Genma," Kakashi replied smoothly, back beside Sakura. "I'm a traveling nin, currently Hana's caretaker."

The woman nodded briefly before turning around and disappearing out of sight behind red, silk curtains. Sakura let out a breath of relief. "You should become an actor," she whispered to Kakashi beside her.

"I already am. But that woman was just after the reassurance of a client later," he replied, taking a seat in one of the scarlet plush sofas. Sakura made to follow and sit next to him, only to be halted by a wave of his hand. "Don't sit. She could be back at any moment. Girls—prostitutes in particular—don't have the right to sit with men in Amegakure except on duty."

"I thought the Segregation Era ended?" Sakura hissed.

"It did. But there are stubborn people in the south, which is where Hana's family was raised. Remember, you're a prostitute now, so start acting like one."

"But my feet are sore," Sakura groaned, shuffling on her toes.

"Stop shuffling," Kakashi whispered. "They'll see you're inexperience with this kind of tradition.

Sakura sighed in frustration and gritted her teeth.

"Remember the plan," Kakashi reminded gently.

Sakura nodded and closed her eyes, recalling their travel there.

_"If the okiya knows about the raids every month, why don't they just stop Taiso from coming?" Sakura asked, balancing herself on some particularly lumpy snow. _

_"Well, it's not so much they know, but he's been there before—visiting—most likely to mark out the girls," Kakashi explained. "But the okiya doesn't know what to expect. They wouldn't know dates or identities or anything. And it wouldn't matter. They accept the payment at the cost of their girls, that's their problem."_

_"If it's a raid, then why is there payment?"_

_"For reservations made beforehand. Taiso would probably order a few really expensive whores and spend some time in the okiya before hauling his men there and starting on the attack. It's for his pleasure and to choose out which ones live and which ones die. And it won't matter about the payment because they just steal it back during the raid."_

_"And even the owner will be killed?"_

_"Yes," Kakashi sighed. "No one really took notice of this until the first reports of ANBU were filed for the Godaime. And when they did investigations on Taiso's trails, they led to several hidden okiyas all through Amegakure and surrounding countries. They operate in secret, Sakura, leaves nothing behind but a pile of naked female carcasses. And since his identity wasn't clarified until only a few days ago, the okiya clearly has no idea their client is a mass rapist movement leader.."_

_"And Hana?"_

_"You didn't read her assigned profile, did you?"_

_Sakura shook her head guiltily. "Kayuri and I were shopping for the mission."_

_"Hm."_

_"What's her story then?"_

_"It was all in her profile by Tsunade. Which you conveniently didn't read."_

_"You can fill me in then. It's perfect."_

_"I don't know the details, because I jus skimmed it, but the story is that there was a war between Rock and Sand a few months ago and a part of Rock's infantry had to cross the border to meet up with the Sand's ambush. And the clashing point happened to be part of north Rain. The area suffered greatly—villagers killed, homes destroyed and that's how Hana became orphaned. She was left in the care of her godfather, who decided to sell her to this okiya to get money. He was to bring her in today."_

_"Were a lot of girls orphaned?"_

_"You would not believe it. Many were taken into foster homes by the kinder ones. Others were forced into slavery of all kinds to earn a living enough to support food and shelter and clothing. The less fortunate ones were sold to okiyas to sell themselves to old farts who don't have enough lives to get wives."_

_Sakura nodded glumly in understanding. "And the raid?"_

_"What about it?"_

_"Shouldn't we stop it?"_

_Kakashi glanced at her briefly expressionlessly before looking back to his book. "It's not part of our mandatory mission."_

_"But those girls are--"_

_"We'll see what we can do."_

_Sakura held herself back from retaliating, but knew that Kakashi was right. They could have some trouble handling their prioritized mission, least of all about ten or more delicate women to lag around. _

_"One memo," Kakashi said, "Taiso's ring is crystallized glass. It's the only lead we have on what it looks like."_

_"Oh, that'll make it a lot easier," Sakura sighed sarcastically. "What do want me to do if I find it?"_

_Kakashi paused for a moment._

"This way please, Shiranui-san, Hana." The woman's voice snapped Sakura's mind back to the present, where she found herself being led by Mako and Kakashi through the satin red curtains. They were walking down a medium-lit hallway with frames and doors on either side and spiral staircases on either end. The wall linings were fixed with scented candleholders, the smell muffling all other odors that could have been around.

"This way," she repeated stiffly, starting her way onto the dark spiral staircase at the end of the hall. Sakura gritted her teeth as her feet began to throb again—damn stairs. After a few torturing minutes later, the dark blue walls of the spiral staircase wound up to an opening that cast warm golden glows out in contrast to the shadows.

"Here we are," the woman said, stepping onto the glossy flooring of the no doubt higher story of the okiya. They stopped in front of giant paper slide doors with black ink paintings splashed across the material, displaying a wild herd of scorpions among tall grass.

The woman slid open the door about an inch and called softly inside, "Hatsumomo-sama, Shiranui-san is here with Hana."

"Come in," a sharp but hoarse voice replied from inside.

And the door slid open fully.

The room was quite decorated with potted plants in the corner and lamps all around the room. There was a flat desk in the far corner of the room where papers piled neatly along with a brush and ink set. And someone knelt in front of it, the right hand flying across the thin sheets of paper in neat, grass writing.

The old woman had her back to them and Sakura was barely aware of the door sliding shut behind Kakashi. She gulped discreetly.

Slowly—very slowly and delicately—the woman spun around in her tiny mattress and turned to face the two. Sakura wanted to vomit. To describe the old woman's face as wrinkly would be complimenting her. It would be a drastic understatement. Her face looked like it's been scarred all her life, her right eye dislocated slightly from the socket. Healed slashes splashed her features above an icy and penetrating gaze from her black eyes. The skin at the bottom of her chin seemed to sag loosely as she talked.

"Shiranui Genma, was it?" She asked, her voice croaky and raspy. "Please, sit down."

Kakashi knelt promptly in the traditional style and Sakura—thank goodness disposed of her shoes upon entering the room—remained standing.

"Mako-san said you wished to speak with the two of us?" Kakashi began.

"Yes, she was correct. I meet personally with all the employees' caretakers if they have one," the old woman croaked back.

"Would this be concerning the profile information, then?"

She nodded delicately. "How old is Hana?"

"Sixteen."

The woman looked impressed—well, at least that's what Sakura thought. The hag's eyebrows rose slightly to a more distorted shape, so Sakura couldn't be entirely sure.

"And she's a virgin?"

Kakashi paused. "Unfortunately, no."

"I was under the impression that she was. Or, at least, when her godfather introduced her here."

"Yes, afterwards, he left her with me."

"Ah, so you've tasted her already?"

Sakura kept her head lowered to the ground, glaring daggers at Kakashi's back, all the while, her face turning and burning red with each passing second. Wow, this was embarrassing. She could never imagine having sex with Kakashi. No, she could never imagine Kakashi having sex, period.

And then Kakashi replied, "My apologies. Couldn't control myself. But as I have only received custody a few days ago, time did not allow any more fondling between us before I had to bring her here. Because of that, fortunately, she's only been violated once."

"Still valuable, then. Most of the women here, when first brought in, have already been with many men."

"Taiso is very privileged."

"Oh? Mako has already let slip Hana's first client's name? Convenient."

Sakura listened carefully, soaking in all the information as if she was a sponge.

"Does he visit regularly?" Kakashi asked.

"No, actually, I don't believe he has."

"I see," Kakashi nodded.

"Do you know him, Shiranui-san?"

"There's been rumors around the areas lately of him raping some girls, nothing too serious. That's what okiyas are for, right?"

The woman didn't look impressed. "How old are you?"

"Is my age relevant to Hana's profile?"

"You're a sly one," the woman admitted. "Shall we get onto Hana's profile, then? That is the reason you two were even called here, after all."

"Surely?" Kakashi dared, his one visible eyebrow raising.

"But perhaps I can have some of my girls convince you otherwise?" The woman clapped three times loudly and waited. A few seconds later, footsteps scurried quietly down the hall and the door behind them opened to reveal four very, very, very, very beautiful women standing in the frame.

All sported clothes that well…held no modesty. They could be kimonos by style and material standards, but they lacked some parts such as the collar, the leg draperies and the sleeves. The side was cut so that part of the cleavages could be revealed and the only thing holding the "thing" in place was a sash that went around the neck and tied at the area just below the chest. The bottom was simply a bunch of richly colored and decorated rags draping over the front and back. Other than that, the legs were completely exposed.

"I don't get tempted easily," Kakashi prompted, not even looking at the woman as they neared him.

"Really?" The old woman laughed and chuckled. "That's rich coming from the man who had sex with a friend's daughter the day after custody was granted."

"Hana was different. I was attracted to her unique looks and talents. Out of the many women I've been with, her innocence and the extent of her skills rivaled most by far,if not surpassed."

"Oh? How so?"

"She can ride a man like a complete wildcat."

Sakura felt like crying. Vomiting? Cromiting? It took everything she had to keep her posture in check and not to snap Kakashi's neck right then and there. Damn that woman's eyes on her!

And the old woman was glaring at her intensely, but blankly.

And then she stood up, surprising Sakura with her speed and grace, despite the age.

Kakashi's gaze followed her as she approached Sakura. The women behind him didn't move.

"So…Hana," Hatsumomo drawled out. "How was Genma-san in bed?"

Sakura's heart constricted painfully. What kind of question was that! How would she answer? How would she know, anyway? "Uh--," she uttered stupidly, her face still fixed on the floor, her skin turning—if possible—still redder. "It was—it was…new?"

"Look at me when you speak to me, girl," Hatsumomo ordered, her hand finding Sakura's chin and jerking it up almost painfully. "He seems to think rather highly of your skills."

"W-well, that is—umm, uh--"

Kakashi interrupted, much to Sakura's thankfulness, "Please excuse her behavior, she's still rather young."

"Hn. Well, Hana, you'll have to start getting used to having sex if you're going to work here. Perhaps some of our more experience girls can show you some things?"

"Th-that would be absolutely lovely."

Hatomomo let go of Sakura's chin and walked a full circle around her before stopping back where she started, making Sakura feel very uncomfortable. And then—

"Undress."

-----------------------------------------

Her figure perched nonchalantly on the tree branch—almost casually. Well, there wouldn't be much for her to be tense about. He wasn't around and neither was the other one. The one thing on her mind then was a name she remembered since two years ago.

But she had to help Kakashi and Sakura—that was part of the reason why she was there.

Kayuri's eyes narrowed in concentration as she assessed her situation. From her mental calculations, Sakura should already be inside—most likely being surveyed for the profile. That meant that she'll have to make her move in less than half an hour if she wanted to catch _him _on the move. If all went well, with her powers and the seal inside her, she should be able land at least a clean hit with surprise.

If all went well, that is.

And things rarely did in her life. Not this one.

Her lips twisted into a self-mocking sneer behind her Kakashi-like black mask that she wore on missions. She was a fool. She has always been a fool—ever since the start—since a different story's start, even.

And her lover's face suddenly popped into her head, reminding her of the reason she was there: kill, avenge and run away. She couldn't and wouldn't return to Konoha; she faced exile anyway, seeing how far she's already taken things. Konoha's precious "Akai Kage" will be no more after this.

Taking a deep breath, her figure disappeared, leaving off a few drops of snow to trail down to the ground.

------------------------------------------------

"Undress."

Sakura blinked. "Wh-what?"

"You heard what I said, girl. Undress."

Sakura stole a quick glance at Kakashi, whose eye twitched barely.

"I'd rather not, if that's okay," Sakura replied hesitantly, dreading everything about this damned okiya.

"You will do as I say and I will repeat myself once more before you will be punished for disobeying orders. Undress and I want you to seduce your caretaker. I would like to see the extent of your skills."

"Uh—you know, Genma-sama doesn't get a-aroused easily."

"But he couldn't resist sleeping with you?"

"That's not—that's because—I--"

"Actually," Kakashi interjected firmly and calmly, his voice sounding plainly bored and unaffected by all the women flashing him, "That wasn't Hana's fault. I couldn't control myself. And I'm in no mood currently to have an ejaculation. Thank you for the concern, though."

Hatumomo turned around and looked at him for a moment.

"In fact," Kakashi added on, "I think she might be better this way—innocent, inexperienced. Many men like that in women."

Sakura mentally thanked Kakashi. Actually, that would be a total understatement from what was going on in her mind: _OH MY GOD, KAKASHI, THANK YOU SOOOOOMUCH. I SWEAR I WILL OWE YOU THE BIGGEST FAVOR EVER IN MY ENTIRE MISERABLE LIFE. THANK YOU FOR NOT BEING A PERVERT, THANK YOU FOR SAVING ME FROM STRIPPING MYSELF AND SEDUCING YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. I SWEAR, I COULD KISS YOU RIGHT NOW FOR WHAT YOU DID. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. I KNEW YOU WERE MY FAVORTE SENSEI FOR A REASON. I KNEW I COULD COUNT ON YOU—_

"Take that ugly grin off your face, girl." Hatsumomo's voice snapped at Sakura. "You client will be here in less than an hour—go get ready."

"G-get ready?"

"We'll have to modify your kimono and do your hair. And aphrodisiac on your lips."

"Oh." To Sakura, "modifying your kimono" sounded more like "make you look more suitable for a whore," or maybe "so we can expose you flesh better so some old fart can gawk at them."

"Kirako will take you to where you need to be," Hatsumomo said briskly before turning to Kakashi. "We need to discuss the conditions of her stay."

Sakura, thoroughly dreading what was to come next regardless what it was, did not want to go anywhere. She wanted Kakashi to be with her. She felt sooooooooo unbelievably much safer that way. For him to be there was like a guardian angel. In desperation, she cast him a begging glance, but he just nodded and said gently, "Go with Kirako, Hana."

Sakura pursed her lips and gritted her teeth as Kirako stood by the door, clicking her teeth impatiently.

"Get moving, Hana, you don't have all day," Hatsumomo snapped. Sakura glared at her before reluctantly—very reluctantly—turning to Kirako and being led out of the room.

The door slid shut.

Shut Sakura away from safety.

She her away from her virginity.

She her away from purity.

Shut her away from Kakashi.


	5. Complex Compound

"So, then, Shiranui-san," Hatsumomo began business-like. "Shall we discuss the conditions?"

Kakashi tore his eyes from the door and turned to the expectant old woman. "By all means," he replied coolly.

"Name your price."

"Five thousand yen for Hana's sale and I want shipment of fifty percent of each her first five runs."

"Thirty percent."

"Forty five."

"Thirty seven."

"Forty."

"Deal," the old woman snapped and scribbled something on an old fashioned clipboard.

"And I want a cut payment for my first three visits."

"How much?"

"Thirty."

"Fine. Anything else?"

Kakashi pretended to look deep in thought. He couldn't care less for the payment. He would never get them anyway. What he was worried about was the pink haired undercover kunoichi currently being led down the hall and hopefully not her doom. And then he heard his own voice replying automatically, "No, the conditions have been met."

"Care to stay longer, Shiranui-san?" Hatsumomo voiced, giving the girls behind him a sort of authoritive nod of invisible, unspoken instruction. Kakashi realized what he was in for. At once, almost, as if on autopilot, the girl behind him bent down to the ground beside him, their faces inches from his, their hands roaming…all over.

But Kakashi, being the strange kind of hentai that he was, kept himself in check. Kept himself in control. He never liked prostitutes anyway, no matter how much they went on him. But just to serve as a distraction, he deadpanned, "If it is at all possible, I would like to help myself around the okiya."

"Help yourself around? Are you implying something?"

"Only if you want me to. I can pay previously, if you wish, as long there is no supervision, I'm willing to look around."

"And you may not disturb any of the other already occupied clients."

"Of course."

"And Hana is off limits for now."

"Until Taiso is done with her, I'll work on it," Kakashi replied smoothly, giving a quick nod before plucking the prostitute girls' hands off of him and standing up just as Hatsumomo got to her feet as well. He reached into his inner pouch for his money bag and fished the contents out. "Should this suffice?"

The old woman snatched it, opened it up, ruffled and jingled it around for a few moments before replying, "Have fun, Shiranui-san."

-------------------------------------------

The soft tap of rubber soles against frozen branches filled the air rhythmically, the figure gliding fast from one tree to another. The approaching chakra signature was unmistakable—she was nearing him. Her lips quirked up to a sneer behind her mask as she felt the presence of him shift closer.

And then both stopped.

They stood facing each other in the shadows of the trees, their identities known only by the one facing them.

"Good to see you again." The female voice spoke.

"I know." This time, it was the male. "It's been a while. I missed you."

"I have a favor to ask of you."

"Oh?"

"I guarantee, it's within your power. You just have to trust me."

-------------------------------------

Sakura shivered audibly as Kirako led her onto the back balcony that stood facing the snow covered forest grounds behind the okiya. "This way," the woman shot, turning left down another outdoor hallway of the building. They kept walking for a while until Sakura found herself in front of dark red draperies hung form the ceiling.

"Where is this?" She asked, looking up and down.

"Go in. I'll have to help you get ready."

And so the process began. Sakura was ushered inside in a graceless manner as Kirako bustled through the polished drawers and closets looking for materials. "Sit here," she ordered sharply, jabbing a finger to the stool behind her. Sakura obeyed, but obviously not fast enough because Kirako had taken the liberty of dragging her there hurriedly with a hiss of annoyance.

"Alright. Hair, outfit and birth control drink," she said stiffly, reaching in a bag she carried and a second later, holding out a small, clear vial. "It's for safety. Mother says we cant have all the girls sporting babies."

Sakura took it uncertainly in her hands and stared. Did she really want to take this? Thinking about taking it made the whole matter seem a lot worse. It meant that she really was going to have sex. It meant that she really was going to get raped. And it made her feel…well, she couldn't explain it, but birth control just didn't seem right. No one liked taking them due to their possible effects on the body when an embryo is discovered, but Sakura thought drinking it then would signify some drastic step in her life. Deprived of the ability to give birth for a few months made her feel…unfulfilled? Un-womanish? Pitiful? She couldn't explain.

"Hurry up and drink, Hana, your client is due in less than half an hour," Kirako practically growled. Gee, obviously _she_ didn't like Sakura very much.

Biting her lip, Sakura uncorked the cap and placed the rim against her lips. And in one swift motion, all the contents were tipped into her mouth. She swallowed, quickly downing the bitter aftertaste.

-----------------------------------

Fifteen minutes later…

"Oh god," Sakura whispered to herself in front of the mirror. What had replaced her yukata was…well, it was different.

It was basically a tube dress tied to her only with a pink sash around the middle. The bow in the back trailed down her behind, covering where her panties would have been exposed. But Kirako had forced her out of her panties, so her modesty was very much violated. What concealed it in the front was simply a loose piece of cloth hanging from the front that Sakura begged Kirako not to rip off. Her There was a black scarf around her neck that trailed all the way down to her elbows and her hair had been fluffed to look, according to Kirako, "Sexy."

"Okay, you are room C13," the older woman told her, looking at a chart posted on the wall. "Down that hall, turn right—ugh, you know what? I'll just take you there."

With that, Sakura was tugged roughly tugged by the arm down the hallway of decently spaced out doors. She was stopped in front of her assigned room.

_Bad number_, she thought numbly as Kirako pulled open the door and shoved Sakura in before whispering to her, "Oral sex first, men like that. Only be silent if he tells you to, otherwise be as noisy as you can with groaning, moaning and stuff. You don't seduce him, he seduces you, and out up some resistance at first to turn him on, got it?"

Sakura found herself nodding absently mindedly just to get Kirako away sooner. She needed to be alone. Desperately.

Then the door clicked shut with a satisfying bang and Sakura turned around to face the room.

Red.

The king size bed was made of polished wood, draped over by red satin hanging from the ceiling. The sheets were all crimson, made of silk with gold embroideries on them that looked rather worn out. There were black strings attached to the headboard along with eye patches and ragged looking cloths. Candles littered the room, glowing dimly, casting what she supposed was erotic lighting.

Taking a deep, audible breath, Sakura walked tentatively over to the bed and sat down, feeling the bouncy mattress sink beneath her weight. She felt like crying. She really did. But she was in this thing too far to back down now. No matter how selfish she wanted to be, no matter how much she wanted to sneak out and run away—far away—from this place, she knew she couldn't do it. It was too later.

Just to occupy herself, Sakura got up (making sure to try and tug down the cloth to cover her naked center), she shifted over to the drawers to see what she could find.

A moment later, she found that it probably was better if she didn't know.

The wooden drawers were filled with lubricants, replications of male and female anatomy, oils of all kinds, condoms (even some that looked already used) and other exotic and erotic toys she's never seen before.

She heard herself whimper pathetically and withdrew, shutting the drawer with a bang. And she sat on the bed, feeling as naked as ever, tears stinging her eyes. She wasn't even sure why she was crying. Was it because she faced something she couldn't handle? Was it because she was extremely disappointed that her first time won't be with someone special, instead with merely a target for a mission?

Hell, she was practically awaiting her own doom. She might as well start planning her funeral invitations.

--------------------------------------

Kakashi wandered silently through the hallways, shifting between shadows and ceilings to conceal his presence. A group of giggling girls passed in the dim hallway, no doubt "discussing" something of great importance.

"Oh my god, my guy was huge," one of them said.

"Geez, you're so sensitive. I would have thought you'd be used to big dicks now."

"Yeah, I mean, the last guy you had, he went to me after you and remember? I swear, it was at least nine inches."

"Oh, shut up."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow to himself. _Girls these days…they just don't appreciate—_

His head spun around as a door opened slightly down to his left side. He quickly ducked out of the way as another group of prostitutes passed down the hall.

----------------------------

"Shizune!"

Racing footsteps clanked down the hall before the door burst open. "Tsunade-sama?"

"I called about ten times, where were you!"

"Sorry, I was--"

"It doesn't matter now, we've got a report from Genma, actually, Tsunade said, calming down somewhat.

"What happened?"

"He said he and Raido spotted an ANBU with them."

"Who?"

"She was wearing a mask."

"That's not helpful, Tsunade-sama. Many ANBU wear masks."

"That's what I called you in for. Go to ANBU headquarters, I want that personnel ID-ed."

"Why is that so important? If ANBU goes--"

"You know the procedure, Shizune. ANBU personnel who go on unauthorized missions face severe punishments."

"Hai."

------------------------------------

Twenty minutes passed and the room was silent. No screams of pleasure, no moans, nothing.

Taiso did not arrive.

Yet.

-------------------------------------

"I need for you to delay the arrival."

"How?"

"I don't know. Do what you need to, but please, just do this one thing for me. It's very important."

"But do you have any idea the gravity of the situation?"

"I realize, but I can't show my face to them, they'll suspect something's up. You're the only one I can turn to now."

He sighed in understanding and placed a hand on her shoulder in reassurance. "I'll do what I can."

"Thank you," she whispered earnestly, the words fading off into nothing more than soft breaths of murmurs.

--------------------------------------------

Sakura stared blankly from her position on the bed. Her eyes were focused intently on the bedcovers before her, a pained expression. The wait was torture. She would much rather have Taiso come in, get it over with so she could find the ring and leave, although she doubted he would be as dumb as to simply let her steal and ditch.

She bit her bottom lip and hugged her knees tighter to her chest, feeling her breath on her skin in nervous rasps of forced calm.

-----------------------------------------

Kakashi silently paced down the hall, searching for Sakura's chakra signature. Or more importantly, her scent because he doubted she'd be using chakra at a time like this. He had a general idea of the compound's structure from his walk-through earlier: the top two floors were rooms for whores to do their business, save the one Hatsumomo occupied. The bottom floor consisted of a meeting room, a storage room, a dressing room and the lobby he had stayed in. But he doubted okiyas were without their secret passages and triggers here and there for the girls to quickly transfer between clients.

His lone eye narrowed slightly as he passed the lobby once more, realizing the eyes of Mako on him.

"Do you remember your promise, Shiranui-san?" She practically moaned, taking a step toward him.

"Mako-chan, right now is not a very convenient time," he replied smoothly, not moving. "Perhaps later?"

She pouted slightly, looking a bit displeased. "You know girls here don't really like waiting?"

"You know men like me love it when girls are frustrated for what they can't have?"

Mako looked at him with curiosity for a moment before sighing and turning back to the pile of schedule scrolls before her.

At that very moment, Kakashi sensed something. No—someone. An unmistakable unmasked signature approaching. He could hear it with his tentative ears, even, the footsteps in the snow.

Taiso…?

This is bad. He could possibly recognize me?

Thinking fast, Kakashi strode over to the woman and grasped her by the waist roughly, taking her by surprise completely. She whimpered briefly for a moment until his fingers had jabbed into the back of her neck, knocking the consciousness out of the woman. She immediately stopped moving and went limp in his hands.

----------------------------------------

Yajima sighed as he approached the doors of the okiya. Once again, he thought. Without further ado, his hands had shoved open the double wooden entrances to a blast of warmth against the cold that surrounded him. Inside facing him was no doubt a lobby—as all the okiyas he'd been to had. Sofas, catalogues, attraction girl…etc.

"Are you here to make an appointment?" A voice spoke from the corner—soft, gentle and…moany?

Yajima looked around slowly to see a girl with silver hair and red kimono standing behind a stand, fixing him with a naturally wide-eyed gaze (A/N: I think Kabuto might be a little more suited for this role).

"Hm, actually, I already scheduled one," he replied swiftly, striding over to her.

The girl looked at him for a moment before turning to the scroll chart she had displayed in front of her. It amazed Yajima how she could see it beneath her huge chest. (O.O)

"Oh, would you by any chance by…Goku Taiso-sama?" She said throatily, looking back up at him, her dark eyes staring almost intently at his face.

"Yes, I am," Yajima replied with a brief and stiff nod. "Who's in charge here?"

"Her name is Warashi Hatsumomo, but we girls here know her simply as Mother."

"May I speak with her?"

"For what purpose? If it is at all possible, I'm to organize all the information here."

"There's a Hana in this okiya, correct?"

"Arrived this morning."

Yajima nodded in understanding. Then suddenly, something a bit strange settled in his mind. There was something about this girl…her sense to him wasn't…how to describe it? He didn't doubt for moment that she wouldn't have chakra—couldn't be a kunoichi with those shoes—and she certainly did not look the fighting type, but he could maybe sense something about her…energy?

Shaking if off, Yajima dismissed the thoughts and said, "If I am unable to speak with Hatsumomo-san, then lead me to Hana's room."


	6. Investigation

ANBU was always a fascinating place to be. The building was near the far outskirts of Konoha, painted in dull colors vibrant to only the color-blind people. It did not look impressive, no, but the campsite was right behind it near the isolated training grounds, where the members could be seen sparring and sporting decorative cuts and slits on their bodies.

Every and all the shinobi in ANBU could be described as lean, masculine and sexy while the kunoichi as lithe, feminine and incredibly hot toned. The atmosphere always had some sort of liveliness in it, despite the fact that it could have been black humor occasionally, but the weirdos that would show up with skinless squirrels to joke on others seemed obsolete to the missions assigned there.

All personnel were surrounded by death—it was the world they lived and thrived in. Members were strictly discouraged in love affairs, (Hayate was a good example for he left his girlfriend broken hearted for several days) and very much forbidden in supporting families. The last thing Konoha needed were ANBU too concerned with their children, wife or husband to give up on some dire mission in need.

They were masked people, not credited for any significant achievement or accomplishments of missions, unless it was one so huge it changed some sort of tradition. They were the silent structures of safety behind the jounins. Behind the Kage. They were the people who stained the hands so others wouldn't have to. They were the ones who would be the first to die should danger fall upon the village.

And as Shizune opened the doors to the headquarters, she silently and vaguely pondered at the lives of the members.

---------------------------------

"Lead me to Hana's room," Yajima said, catching a flicker of emotion behind the silver haired girl's eyes.

"Would you rather speak with Mother?"

"I was under the impression that you said she was unavailable."

"I believe she will be willing to accept a guest like yourself, Taiso-sama. If you would wait a moment so I would alert her of your arrival?"

"Go ahead, then," Yajima mumbled, helping himself to a chair in the far corner. In truth, the only reason he wanted to see Mother was for all the girls' profile information for Taiso. And even if he couldn't see Mother, he would just go to Hana's room, inspect her and report back to Taiso anyway.

-------------------------------

He flipped out of the curtains that divided the rooms and turned a corner, taking a glance at the stolen map in his hand, hoping that his act was convincing. Honestly, he's watched Naruto with his Sexy no Jutsu on Jiraiya many times it was hard not to be (apart from the things learned from Icha Icha, of course). Spotting the room on the schedule and map, Kakashi—still in the image of a whore—made for it. And that's when he really felt sorry for Sakura.

The shoes.

Looking around to make sure no one was following him, in a puff of smoke he emerged, back in his black outfit, mask and comfortable ninja shoes. He only had to walk for about half a minute before he found himself down the hall that led to his destination.

The problem was, there were a bunch of girls standing outside, no doubt done with their share for the day.

Seeing no option, Kakashi spun out into the corner swiftly and made for the door.

----------------------------------------

Yajima frowned and got back up to his feet. He walked over to the desk, checked the schedule and smiled to himself as he saw the words, "Hana: C13."

Alright then. This would make things much simpler. If Mother couldn't come, he would just simply look for himself. Taiso WAS Hana's first appointment, after all.

---------------------------------------

Sakura bundled herself in a ball in the corner of the bed. She hated this. She hated everything. The bedsheets, the candles, the walls—everything. She just wanted the bed to split and swallow her up into the next millennia or something where she wouldn't be placed in a mission such as this.

Then, a knock sounded on the piece of wood—namely, the door.

Sakura jumped so badly, she almost tumbled right off the bed.

Oh no. Oh god. He was here. Taiso was here.

She shut her eyes as she heard a hand on the door handle. Oh god. Oh no. He was here. Her heart was pounding so loudly, she swore Taiso could hear from behind the door.

And then Sakura heard it open.

-------------------------------------

"Sanju Shotai, are we ready?"

Thirty voices replied in confirmation.

"Today, we will do the saving!"

A roar of approval resounded throughout the broken down shack again.

"Squad one, from the north. Raidon, you lead them."

"Hai."

"Squat two, from the south. Sae, they're all yours."

"Ryokai." (Roger)

"And as for Squad three, we'll go from the east. I will lead."

Thirty heads nodded in response in the dark, broken down shack. The atmosphere's intensity could practically be smelled.

"Let's go, men!"

-------------------------------

There was no movement in the room. Sakura didn't dare move or open her eyes.

She wanted to die. To die die die die. She wanted the person standing before her to disappear into hell. She didn't like being with Taiso alone, oh hell, she did not. She was dreading this moment since a really long way back and now he was here. He was here. This was too soon. Sakura wasn't ready and she seriously doubted she ever will be.

Sakura's heartbeat threatened to spill out of her throat as she sat there, eyes still clutched shut, hoping against hope that something good will happen that maybe a miracle—

"Yo."

The ringing silence in the room allowed Sakura to do a delayed double take just as the door shut. Her eyes opened slowly to see a black figure standing at the edge of the bed, an onyx eye crinkling into a smile beneath dark masks and the leather strap. "K-Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura stuttered, feeling as if she has never been happier in her entire life.

His eye returned to normal and he sat down quickly next to her, causing Sakura to pull her "yukata" down to conceal her modesty.

"Please don't tell me they stripped you of your underwear," Kakashi deadpanned.

"Um…I would be lying, but sure, I still have my underwear."

Kakashi sighed. This was great. Adding to the fact that his part was urgent and dangerous, he had to tell himself to ignore those slender and toned legs in front of him—

"Okay," he said a little too loudly and happily to stop his train of though. Then, clearing his throat, he got to the point. "Look, Sakura, we don't have much time together, so I'll just tell you the important things."

"Is Taiso here yet?"

"No. That's the problem. A man arrived at the front door—ninja, to be specific. But he's not Taiso. He has a different chakra signature and even if he changed his appearance, chakra is something you can't alter."

"So who is it?"

"I don't know. But this could be some problem for us. Originally, we were gonna search the ring on him and get it when he's in the okiya to make things simpler—"

"_I'm_ the one searching."

"Right. But that plan's going down the drain, meaning that we really will have to participate in the raid. That also means more danger for you because you'll be stepping into Taiso's grounds."

"What do I do?"

"That man at the door wants your profile."

"Well then, tell him to go to Hatsumomo. I want to get out of here."

"You cant. That man most likely came on Taiso's orders, meaning that Taiso must be reserving up for the raid in a couple of hours. You'll be taken—don't fight back—don't show that you're a kunoichi."

"And what about you?"

"I'll keep to the shadows."

"But--" Sakura was silenced as Kakashi held a finger to her face.

"The girls outside are eavesdropping," Kakashi whispered. "I guess they expect us to be uh—doing something."

Sakura looked warningly at him, which sent shivers down both their spines.

Kakashi turned back to the pink haired kunoichi and mumbled, "Play along."

With that, he tugged her close to him and paused as their faces were inches apart, so they could feel each others' breaths. Sakura's eyes were wide as she stared into his lone blank eye, her breath catching painfully in her throat. Time seemed to stop before he practically slammed his masked lips on hers.

Ohmygodwhatishedoing?IsKakashikissingme?

_Shut up girl, don't complain. This doesn't feel half bad._

She's been kissed in her life, on many occasions, not to mention hearing vivid details about them from Ino, Tenten, Temari and even Hinata. But she's never had one quite like the one she was experiencing—harsh, demanding, but at the same time, soft and gentle with a sharp edge or urgency telling her not to get carried away.

Sakura's eyes flew to the size of watermelons as she felt the gentle prodding against her mouth. Fortunately, her brain seemed to fail in catching up with what was happening. Her mouth opened almost involuntarily and she felt his masked tongue glide across hers. Her stomach fluttered and churned madly in ways she has not felt since when she was twelve looking at Sasuke. But this was Kakashi. He was experienced, he reads smut, and he was her teacher! And he definitely has been with many women before, he was Konoha's best, he was…he was a…really good kisser.

Until he said, "You'll need to be a bit more convincing, Sakura," right against her lips, hot breath dancing over her skin. "Or the girls outside will get suspicious."

Sakura still hasn't even gotten the shock of being kissed, let alone playing alone in some acting game of his. His movement were so mesmerizing delving inside her mouth, trying to force something out of her.

-------------------------------

"Hey, stop pushing."

"Do you hear anything?"

"I'm jealous. Hana's a newbie and the hottie already interests in her."

"Shh. Be quiet. I wanna know how good he is."

And then they all heard it. A raw, loud, throaty groan from the girl inside.

"Whoa, I'm jealous too."

------------------------------------

In a heartbeat, Kakashi released her as suddenly as he had kissed her and quickly tossed all the fabric within reach at the door messily, carefully averting her gaze.

"What are you doing?" Sakura hissed, feeling the warmth fade away, leaving her slightly disappointed, against her will.

"Frantically undressing ourselves."

It was a while before Sakura realized what he was talking about and felt her face burn. It was then that her brain had finally caught on to what had happened. Her hand flew to her mouth and her eyes widened.

ohmygodkakashikissedme. hesmyteacherandheskissingme.

She wasn't sure if she wanted to smile or cry. It was such a mixed emotion she felt then, it made her want to laugh and bawl at the same time. The kiss had been sweet, it really was. She's been kissed before, but somehow this felt more…satisfying, more…well, she couldn't explain it, but no doubt Kakashi was experienced. But tears also began to sting her eyes as she realized that he was her teacher. It would be so awkward from that day on that she might as well have faced Taiso. How would she even talk to him from that point on?

The room was silent. Too silent.

"Gomen," he mumbled finally.

Sakura looked up, beginning to recover from the shock. "I-it's okay. It was necessary. And it doesn't matter."

Kakashi paused for a moment before, "Really. I'm sorry."

"For what?" Sakura asked gently. For being such a good kisser? For confusing her feelings? For being who he was?

"For--" He seemed to rethink his question. "Never mind."

"Kakashi-sensei?"

Kakashi didn't reply, but turned around to face her, his expression blank. "The girls are gone, Sakura, but you'll have to stay here longer."

Sakura swore her heart could have sank right through the floor. "Okay."

"Don't worry. Remember, if you need anything, just scream really loud."

"And you had better come."

"I'll try to work on that," he said, his voice resuming the normal, calming, laid back tone.

"If you don't and I die," Sakura retorted, trying to make herself feel better. "I'll make sure my ghost haunts you, peels off your skin, quarters you, tugs out you intestine, burn your entrails and gouge out your eyeballs and mail them to Tsunade with you paying the post fee."

"…"

Sakura tried to laugh. And she would have, on any other circumstance. But the muscles at the corners of her mouth refused to bend up. Instead, she felt her eyes sting and her vision blur in so many reasons it was impossible to analyze them all. The uncertainty, the worry, the confusion, the danger, the possible outcome…She looked down, hiding her face from Kakashi's penetrating gaze.

Then a hand found it's way to her chin and lifted her face gently up to meet his masked one. They stared at each other for a moment, wishing silent words of wordless good luck. Then his hand patted her shoulder encouragingly as it always had. His eye displayed a smile. "Be safe, Sakura. Take care."

She wanted to call out to him, wanted to pull him back to force him to stay with her. She wanted to go with him, she wanted so many things then. But she somehow—my some miracle or malfunction in her system—stayed still on the bed, eyes fixed on the floor where he stood mere seconds ago.

She had heard him walk out the door, away from her. She had heard the door open, letting out the one man that could protect her. She had heard it close shut, separating her from the only person who would come to her aid in that situation.

--------------------------------------

A black cloaked figure pulled the dark hood over her head, the shadow shading over her face and hiding her eyes above the masked face. The hazel gaze mirrored the utmost reflection as her feet kicked off into the air onto a branch, stepping stoning them easily and lightly, the double katanas on her back glaring dangerously under the dim sunlight behind the clouds and above the glittering white snow.

-------------------------------------

"Shizune-san?"

"Oh, Kaguya-senpai," Shizune acknowledged as she almost walked right into the ANBU as she was hurrying her way down the hall to see the Sector Captain. "Gomen. I wasn't really looking where I was walking."

"It's fine. Where are you going?"

"I wanted to see the Field Sector Captain for the tokubetsu ANBU."

"The Black Ops section?"

Shzune nodded. "The special ops. Do you know where I can find him?"

Kaguya tapped his sharp jawline thoughtfully, his handsome features of twenty-five years in life revealing deep thinking. "Right now, he should be about back from lunch break. Either that, or he's in a meeting with the Torture and Interrogation Squad. If he's not in his office, go find Ibiki's."

"Alright, thank you," Shizune said, turning and getting ready to head down to the mentioned office, only to hear her name in a nervous voice.

"Um, Shizune-san?"

She turned around to see Kaguya staring at her slightly nervously, flustered. "Yes?"

"I—well, you know, I'll understand if you say no—but I mean, it's okay if you refuse—but—that is to say—I mean you don't have to if you don't want to--"

"Kaguya-senpai," Shizune reminded him kindly.

His face turned slightly red. "Would you like to out to get drinks later, maybe?"

Shizune paused. A moment later, a smile spread across her face as she replied, "Sure. Time and place? It'll have to be after I'm done with the Sector Captain, though."

"Of course," Kaguya said, looking thoroughly relieved as if a giant boulder had been removed from his shoulders and chest. "I can wait for you by the dango parlor just down this road."

"Alright. That's fine."

"Sounds good then. I'll see you."

Shizune smiled again and nodded, "Okay," before turning around and continuing her way to the Sector Captain's office, which happened to be at the end of the hall, behind dark wooden doors that seemed to have been sabotaged by kunais at one point due to the wedges and markings in the framing and center.

Hoping that he would be there or at least a place where she would be able to reach him, Shizune pounded softly three times on the door. To her relief, a gruff, rough sounding voice mumbled from inside, slightly muffled, "Come in." She pushed the door open tentatively, and was then exposed to a rather plain office. The room was quite large, but also looked slightly empty. There was a desk and a chair in the back beside the window, next to it, a shelf that lined two mini sofas and a small table. The only decoration in the room was from a potted plant on top of a drawer set and the double slash katans crossed on the wall above it.

"Oh, Shizune-san," the man acknowledged from behind his desk, getting up with a scoot of his chair. He strode swiftly over to her and shook her hand briefly before letting go.

Shizune took the change to survey up and down. She's always been interested in ANBU, from the stories Tsunade had often times presented with her, they seemed like quite exciting and dangerous lives. She's wanted to be one herself, but Tsunade needed her at her side, so Shizune refrained. But it was uniform that many times tempted her to rethink her decision of not joining. The clothing was made for both genders, and she couldn't describe it, but somehow it just made them look good, with a sense of intimidation, but also, if wanted by the owner, a sense of casualty.

"What can I do for you?" The Sector Captain asked kindly, his short beard on his thirty-something face twitching as he talked, his small, sharp black eyes taking his turn to look at Shizune.

"The Hokage-sama sent me to retrieve some information, uh--,"

"Shuichi. Yasuo Shuichi."

"Right. Shuichi-senpai," Shizune continued. "Tsunade-sama said that one of her subordinates caught the sight of an unassigned ANBU with the assassination party she sent out."

"Oh?" Shuichi looked mildly interested. "Have a seat."

They sat down across form each other on the sofas and Shizune began again, "Would you have records of missions received for the personnel?"

"If that's all the information you have, then it could be anybody. Missions are sent out almost on an hourly basis."

"I see," Shizune sighed, slightly disappointed. "She was girl, I think. And I'm pretty sure Genma said she had a tiger mask."

"Tiger…tiger…oh, maybe it's Akage Kayuri?"

"Kayuri-san? Konoha's Akai-kage?"

"It could be. She requested a mission to investigate on Ame's new secret ANBU, the Sanju Shotai."

"Did she go?" Shizune asked, feeling more hopeful and urgent.

"She came directly to me and I denied it because she was in duty as a medic nin for another mission."

"She's a medic?"

"Oh, you'd be surprised at what she is. That's girl in unbelievable. Almost as good as Itachi and Kakashi when they were in their prime."

Shizune nodded thoughtfully. "Look, Shuichi-senpai, you know the rules. Tsunade-sama must know about all ANBU missions sent. Any personnel going on unauthorized infiltration, assassination or retrieval can receive serious punishments."

"I understand, but I can't really provide any more information than that. She came to me about a week ago and said she caught wind of an hidden ANBU starting in Ame and said she wanted to look more into it. I told her since they haven't done anything yet or were threats, it would be unnecessary."

"So do you think it was her that Genma-san saw today?"

"I don't see why she would go just to investigate on an ANBU. The risks don't balance up."

Shizune frowned, deep in thought. This was a bit weird. She's heard of Kayuri and her amazing missions from the times she and Kaguya hung out together. From what she's heard, Kayuri really was an amazing kunoichi with a rich personality, excellent work ethic and a smile that lights up the whole room. But why would she—if she did—go on an unauthorized mission just to investigate on a matter if it wasn't even important.

"I'm sorry, Shizune-san," Shuichi said, standing up, silently signaling the end of the conference. "This is all I know. Well, since she is the captain of her squad, I guess you can't really go ask that ideal source. Perhaps you could try her teammates?"

"Who are they?"

"Gekkou Kiyoshi, Mayu Kagae and Tomo Hiyoshi."

Shizune stood up as well and replied kindly, "Alright, thanks. I'll see what I can do. Where's the normal meeting place for her team? There has to be some sort of missions or schedule, right?"

"It's usually by the edge of the backwoods. As for records, I don't know. You'll have to find that out."

"I see," Shizune sighed somewhat dejectedly. "In any case, thank you for your help, Shuichi-san."

"Always a pleasure," he smiled.

Shizune turned around and placed a hand on the door, preparing to open it and go, when she heard her name called from behind.

"One thing I remembered," Shuichi called from the back of the room. "Well, I didn't really pay attention because I thought Tsunade assigned her on something special, but now that I think about it, Kayuri's been out on mysterious missions for a while recently. She says they're all from Tsunade, but I haven't really checked because she's always been a trustworthy person. I don't know if that'll be any help, though, she is an ANBU after all."

"Hm…I'll check on it. Thank you very much." With that, Shizune left the room and found herself down the hall to the side entrance.

-----------------------------------

Yajima walked past the red draperies that hung at the inner hallway, expecting to be greeted by a maze of dimly lighted hallways, instead, he faced the silver-haired girl from the stand earlier.

"Gomen-nasai," she mumbled, bowing. "Hatsumomo-sama is not available for any visitors currently. If you are looking Hana's profile, you might have to wait for Mother to become available."

"Is that so? Well, then I will simply have to deduce the profile on my own."

Kakashi's eyes narrowed slightly and discreetly. Whoever this guy was—claiming to be Taiso—he obviously knew of him. Would he be working for him or simply using his identity to ravish some women? The stakes would be too high and not at all worth it is it was the second option. But he knew he couldn't deny this man. Taiso was the scheduled client after all.

"Would you like me to show you to her room?"

"No, it's fine. C13, correct?"

Kakashi plastered a grin on the feminine face he wore and replied throatily, "Haaai." To further enhance the effect that he/she was a prostitute, he leaned in slightly closer, swallowing his disgust and dignity and whispered into the man's ear with all the womanly seduction skills he learned from various sources and experience, "How about later you come to my room instead?"

Yajima laughed, brushing her off. He was used to this. "Patience, little kitty. I'll think on it."

Kakashi forced him/herself into a convincing pout of disappointment. He soon recovered as smiled, with the satisfying reply of, "Go ahead, Taiso-sama. Just know I'll be waiting when you're done with Hana."

"Hn," Yajima mumbled, spinning on his heels and walked past the crimson curtains down the halls, turning a left when he reached the C corridor.

-----------------------------------

Kakashi, resuming his normal form with a puff of smoke, stared after the man as he left. Something about him seemed weird. Kakashi's intuitions knew best.

But his suspicions on the man didn't last long before it connected the matter to Sakura.

Sakura.

He couldn't help but feel guilty at his act back in the room. But there seriously was no other way to accomplish it and make it real. Had he merely told Sakura to act like they were "doing something," she would be too self conscious to make a single noise. But deep inside, he couldn't help but smile inwardly at her reaction to him. She was so pure, so innocent.

And she provoked thoughts in him.

During the kiss, it had taken quite a bit of control for him to not get turned on by those smooth, pale legs, that flat, toned stomach and the—

_Kakashi,_ his inner self warned in a dangerous tone. She was his student, former nonetheless, but in some way, still student. And love among shinobi was strictly forbidden anyway. Everyone knew that and didn't dare pursue it. But Asume and Kurenai had been some sort of exception, because as far as he was concerned, it wasn't more like love rather than an extremely "nonchalant" and close friendly relationship.

In other words, the only forms of love people like him experienced were one night stands. He had to argue, though, that every jounin in Konoha needed some form of break and get-away from missions—some form of distraction. Gai, his extensive and ridiculous exercise routines, Anko and her sweets, Asuma with Kurenai, Genma, his endless string of one-night-stand women, and himself…well, he had his smut.

But as he walked over to the stand and peeled off the concealment paper he placed on the wall to reveal the unconscious woman he had replaced before the impersonator came in, Kakashi wondered, for an extremely disturbing moment to him that what if his Icha Icha fantasies came real? He didn't mean that in the sense of having sex with women, no, he's had plenty of one night stands to be able to brag about at least (but not ridiculous like Genma), but what he really meant was…how would it be if Saku—

_Kakashi!_

Shaking his head, Kakashi tugged the limp woman back into his arms and over onto the sofa. Her face was serene, with slight hints of pain from his strike to her neck. Her kimono had slid down slightly to reveal most of round, pert breasts beneath the silk. Kakashi blankly tugged the material over them and sat down beside her.

Honestly, he was not a man that could be turned on just by any women. But somehow, the way he felt earlier with Sakura, it slightly frightened him. His own body's betrayal was something he has not experienced in a while. With his usually imperturbable iron-clad barrier, Kakashi was one to not let emotion hinder anything. Except when he saw Sakura earlier in that thing she wore that was to be called a yukata, exposing and accentuating all the curves of a woman he liked to see. Kakashi sighed in frustration to get the thought out of his head.

The relationship was taboo. It wasn't the best of times to be thinking about such things anyways.

----------------------------------

This time when the door sounded with knocks, Sakura didn't jump as badly. She knew Kakashi showing up again would be too much to hope for. Instead, she braced herself spread across the bed, legs in the air just as the door opened to reveal a man with light brown hair over sharp features and swirling blue eyes. If he had been anyone else, Sakura would have immediately classified him with two words: Hand and Some.

Problem was, Sakura was facing the one who was supposed to be raping her.

Summoning up her courage and determination to do the job right, Sakura put on the sexiest voice she could muster (thanks to Naurto's constant acting for Jiraiya), Sakura moaned out, "Are you…Taiso-sama?"

The man smirked with a small hiss of laughter, but didn't reply. And when he sat down next to the bed beside her, Sakura flinched immediately, her body automatically trying to put distance between the two. She was extremely shocked when the man's hands grabbed her upper arm and tugged her close to him. Very close.

"You don't need to worry. I have no desire to make love with you."

Sakura wanted to roll her eyes and laugh. This was a prostitute house, for god's sake, who'd expect her to believe that? Then as suddenly as he had grabbed her, he let go and stood up, heading for the door.

"W-wait," Sakura said before she could understand why.

"Walk with me," he said simply, pulling the door open to the hallway.

Sakura should have felt happy and exhilarated at the prospect of not having to lose her virginity to old turds and farts, but she couldn't help but suspect the whole situation as weird. And it was no genjutsu—she's know. With no more than a discreet suspicious glance, Sakura obeyed silently, slipping off the bed gracefully and into the small, wool slippers given to her by the okiya suppliers.

"If-if you don't mind me asking, Taiso-sama," Sakura mumbled behind him as she realized he was making his way to the balcony. She wasn't sure if he was Taiso. She's never seen him, but Kakashi claimed there was an impostor, so…

"Why am I not ravishing you like you thought I would, right?" He asked her unvoiced question.

"Well, that is… a bit strange, seeing as this is how my first client and all--"

"Would you rather if I had sex with you?"

"No! I mean—y…no, what…"

His sound of laughter saved Sakura from having to finish her sentence. And soon, she felt the chilly air sting her bare legs as she saw the white shimmering light of the snow reflected on the wood of the back balcony she had walked past with Kirako earlier.

Silence was the only thing heard as Sakura watched nervously as Taiso, presumably, casually flung her arms over the sides as it he was sightseeing from a particularly elegant tower. His sigh was revealed through a wisp of breath in the air.

"How old are you?" He asked, startling Sakura somewhat.

"S-sixteen."

"Fairly young."

Regaining some confidence in the field she was actually better adapted to—verbal retaliations—Sakura tried her best to carry on this conversation, hoping that it would replace the things that are technically supposed to happen in room C13. It was a stalking factor, she could argue. Keep his mind off.

"Fairly young, indeed," he nodded thoughtfully.

"I certainly believe my age to be better than my caretaker's."

"Oh? How old if Shiranui-san?"

"Thirty-odds. And old geezer by my standards."

"You rate high, then."

"I supposed you could say that."

"Am I wrong?"

"No, I simply meant that your comment was rather interesting."

"I would love to taste you, though."

Sakura's heart skipped a beat and she took a deep breath to keep her calm composure. "I don't know if you were aware, but I've been taken once before," she lied, playing by Kakashi's previous lie.

"By your caretaker, no doubt?"

"May I ask how you knew?"

"From your records, you were in his custody for several weeks. Who could resist a single, parentless, orphaned and helpless thing like you?"

Sakura was not sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. "Well, uh--"

"How did your parents die?"

Sakura's brain worked furiously to come up with a good lie on the spot. "It was the war. They took them. Both of them." She contorted her face into the utmost expression of sadness and pain. "One heartbeat they're standing in front of me and the next thing I knew, they were…they were…"

The man turned away, back to the snow, his expression revealing nothing but the most bland of emotions.

-----------------------------------------

The traps had been avoided. Getting inside was quite easy. Darkness shrouded her senses, growing anticipation clouding her ability to react properly. Summoning up some chakra, she took a good look around with her gift.

Trip wires to the right, perfectly set against the explosion tags. And the tiles on the ground had been set so that no more than .5 seconds of contact could be made before the ground collapsed.

Good traps. But she was better.

And she could see that it was only this section that had them. The rest were cleared. She just had to make it out of the danger zone. But faster. Taking a deep breath and readying herself, she sprinted forward, ducked and bent this way and that to avoid the maze of seemingly invisible wires, keeping her eyes on the explosion tags that would go off at the first sign of physical contact.

Emerging seconds later with a serious case of backaches, she straightened her uniform and bent low to inspect the ground before her. With a soft brush, some of the flooring crumbled away, echoing beneath down to whatever it is it fell to. If she fell through, she wouldn't get back up. The area and perimeter was too large for escapes.

Taking a deep breath, her feet left the solid ground. Through the complete and absolute darkness, her movements were not seen—could not be seen--, but her figure was a blur as it flipped on hands and feet alternatively, leaving a trail of crumbling ground behind her at each light tap of contact.

Then suddenly, the crack in the ground split further than her estimation, reaching the tips of her fingertips. Her right hand crumpled backward and downward. With a hiss of surprise, her feet swung forward, propelling her body back up in the opposite direction, summoning chakra to continue to a halted flip. Regaining balance, her strings of movements were finished with a silent, graceful landing on the opposite side.

A sliver of light told her she had reached a hallway. Smirking beneath the mask, her hands flew some hand seals and the sliding door immediately blew open, taking with it a large chunk of walls. She surveyed the paths in front of her. The halls and corridors were incredibly confusing, yet not unsolvable. Soon, her eyes literally saw through the pattern—the stairs that led to her destination, the second story, was at the other side of the room, which would take a while to reach if she were to cross the maze. She disabled her doujutsu (eye technique) and decided on what to do. It might be a bit more troublesome, and attention attracting, but would take less time.

In a blink, thin, silver wires shot out form her shuriken holster and her hands tossed them almost casually upward. They caught onto the ceiling with chakra attachment and with a strong tug, a good chunk of the ceiling came down, crumpling into a pile in front of her. Ignoring the dust, she hoisted herself upward onto the second landing, the dim lighting telling her that her doujutsu was not necessary.

_Let's get this game started, then, you bastard. _


	7. Ahura Mazda, Angra Mainya

_My life has never been ideal, just as how I realized from the first moment I picked up a kunai that I was never cut out to be a shinobi. It's not complaining, its simply reminiscing. I had once hated the whole lot of them—ninjas. They took everything away from me, deluged my family, nearly ended my own life. But because of my parents and sister, I forced myself to become one of them. We defied our family._

_And one day, the price of that began to catch up with us. They went after my parents, and my sister and me were forced to watch our father die in front of our eyes. But…the more angry I got, the more I felt _"It" _surge within me. I couldn't control it. And the next thing I knew, _"It's" _power had completely shredded my mother. I remember her last smile at me—no regret, no hate, only unrequited love. I remember standing there like a fool as my sister tried to drag me away from our murderous family. _

_The next thing I knew, my hand was out in front of me, bloodstained and claw-like. It clenched into a fist and then—_

_Red. Everywhere._

_My family had literally internally detonated._

_I could barely feel the tears streaming down my face as my sister picked me up, but she was hurt too. Before too long, she fell, bringing me with her. _

_It was dawn the next time we woke up. The grounds at our feet were close to brown and I convinced myself they were the natural color of our soil. But the soil seemed to have soaked into my clothes and stained my skin. The stench of death, so evident around me—in the air I breathed, in the ground I sat on, only served for the matter to settle in. When my sister awoke, she saw me sitting beneath a tree, shaking. _

_It was a whole day before I was able to move again. _

_--------------------------------------_

She tore the wood away from its framing, dust flying everywhere. She was truly glad that she was wearing a mask, or she'd be choking. With a tap of her feet against the ground, her body hoisted upwards, through the hole she created and onto the second floor. She ducked barely in time as a shower of shuriken shot above her head, landing with countless thumps on the wall behind her.

Then a silver gleam in the darkness caught her eye.

Wires?

Her lip twisted into a smile beneath her mask yet again. So this compound was going to be more than she expected. It was a maze on every level. Canceling her doujutsu to preserve chakra, she quickly dashed off to the right, kunai raised in front as to defend off any unexpected strikes.

But as soon as her brain registered her biggest mistake, it was too late. She heard the hissing beneath her feet where at least twenty strips of paper were burning in yellow slivers—

Exploding tags.

Shitshitshit.

Without a millisecond's worth of hesitation, she sprinted forward through the rage of thundering noise ringing in her ears, the heat of the flames and hallway debris catching up to her only at a foot's distance. But it was too fast. Before she could reach a turn the whooshing of the air and flames blasted against her back and she was promptly thrown forcibly forward, propelled by the flames until she felt her body slam against the wooden divider of the hall. It crumpled at her weight, but the explosion didn't stop there.

It pushed even further forward and her figure was tossed almost unceremoniously against the wall to the side. She flew forwards and her back hit painfully against a wooden pole. A sickening crunch sounded all throughout the roar.

"Ow," was all she mumbled as she stood up slowly.

The quick armor she produced with her skin was peeling off in chunks as if they were nothing more than crusted dust. That was a close one.

Unhurt.

Rubbing her rear, she stood up, straightened up her mask and eyed the dying and dimming flames. The thought of not using her doujutsu was quickly discarded as she took another step forward, avoiding the trip wire.

----------------------------------------

Kakashi hoped against hope that the Taiso impersonator was merely there to get profile and not for sex. Otherwise, Sakura would lose her virginity in vain. But there was nothing he could do then.

And he hated waiting.

Mumbling discreet curses under his breath, Kakashi pulled out his Icha Icha and flipped to his favorite graphical chapter to begin reading. But the more his eyes traveled down the page, the more his mind wandered down the hall to where he supposed Sakura was.

What was wrong with him? Honestly, why was he thinking impure thought about his student?

Ex. Ex-student.

Who, by the way, has completely matured, is perfectly capable and has a really nice body. The image of her in the scarce clothing the okiya had given her flashed once again in Kakashi's mind as he flipped a page.

_Chiyoko flung herself into Hiro's lap and forced her lips on his. Shocked incredibly by her own confidence, but not willing to back down, Chiyoko wrapped his arms around her lover's neck, pulling the lock closer and stronger. Hiro, slightly taken aback and visibly startled, but pleasured, coaxed his tongue deep inside her caverns, delving, exploring, earning a throaty groan from the woman on his lap. _

_Chiyoko didn't flinch as she felt one of his hands shove up the hem on her shirt to fondle her pert-- _

Kakashi shut the book. This was ridiculous. Okiyas were definitely not his type of place to read porn novels for all the temptation there was with the number of people he could have one-night stands with. Especially not good for after he saw what they made Sakura wear. Brushing off the thoughts, Kakashi opted for some fresh air, making his way to the balcony.

Turning around when he remembered the unconscious woman, he lightly tapped her shoulder, sending a sliver of chakra to wake her from the genjutsu induced dream.

----------------------------------------

The lunch was simple, it turned out: just regular bento. Kaguya and Shizune sat at the bench, engaging in light, small talk.

"You seem out of it, Shizune-san."

"E-eh? Oh, sorry. I had to find out something for Tsunade-sama. It's not going exactly well, though…"

"Oh? Perhaps I can be of help?"

Shizune looked up to see Kaguya smiling. She hesitated for a moment…technically, anything from the Godaime wasn't supposed to be exchanged between people, but, Kaguya was ANBU after all. He could have some information on Akage. Making up her mind, Shizune asked, "Did you know Akage Kayuri well?"

"Konoha's Akai-Kage? Oh, hell yeah. She's pretty popular around ANBU."

"How so?"

Kaguya paused. "Well, she's really skilled, for one. She's supposed to be getting promoted to captain next week, actually."

"She's in the Black Ops, right?"

"Yeah."

"Well, do you happen to know what mission she was sent on, if any?"

Kaguya shrugged. "No, I don't know, actually. Even if I did, I'd be forbidden to tell, unless it's to the Hokage herself. Sorry."

"Oh. Right," Shizune mumbled, hiding dejection.

"Did you know her well, Shizune-san?"

"Not really. I mean, the name was around, said to be a rising star in ANBU or something, but I never really knew Kayuri-san in person."

"Oh? Then why the sudden interest?"

"Just something for the Godaime."

"Did something come up?"

"Not really. It seems really trivial, but you know Tsunade-sama—always have to keep things in check. An unidentified ANBU was spotted with an assassination party."

"And the suspect is Kayuri? I can't see her doing that. I mean, she's always been more of a…how should I say this…she's always been more of a rebel than the others, talking back to Sector Captains, skipped out on meetings, but she always got her work done efficiently and hardly screwed up. I don't think she's the type to go unassigned especially when she knows its not allowed. Unless it was something really important."

"Really important, hm?" Shizune whispered to herself, turning her head to the sky. The matter at hand was not uncommon. There were runaway ANBUs occasionally that tried to turn against Konoha, but they were usually killed or brought back to prison and Kage judgment. Nevertheless, an ANBU on the loose was potentially dangerous and the retrieval of each individual was always an incredible hassle, not to mention the killing of other members.

---------------------------------

The complex trail left behind her was a debris of crashing wood and thick, dense dust. But the hallway was in sight, and her doujutsu told her there was no mistake. The others must be down in the chambers.

But he was here.

Her footsteps soon carried her to a door at the end of the shadowy hallway, where mirrored panels lined the walls. With a wave of her hand, the glass all blanked out, and the lone door stood before her. Her gloved hand grasped the edge and slid it open.

Inside was a room equally dark, but her eyes scanned for the exits—there was another entrance on the far side of the room. But it was what—who—was in the middle of it that caught her attention.

"Impressive. I see you avoided the traps."

She smirked, disabling her doujutsu, silent, schooling her nerves to a calm.

"Shall we take this outside?"

She watched silently as he stood up, trailing a long, silky robe that glittered in the darkness. She was silent as he led her through the other door in the room, down the hall to the right, past the corridor to the left, around a sharp corner, past some men who looked at them with curiosity, and turned a right to a balcony that faced the snow.

She observed everything carefully and attentiveness, her eyes missing little.

Then both jumped down from the wooden landing onto the grounds below, feet sinking into the icy white.

"You have no chance against me, ANBU."

"Hn. I'm not just any ANBU."

"Oh? Really."

"Don't fuck with me. I know what I'm doing."

"We'll see about that."

With a casual fling of his wrist, the robe flung far into the air to reveal ninja-clad pants over plain sandaled feet, complete with a dark purple shirt that stretched to his elbows. The skin underneath was pale, as if he's not seen sunlight in a while, despite his hard build. He had a strap tied around his middle that draped down his front and down his back, creating a harness sort of structure that held kunai pouches normally on the legs or arms. The flimsy garments did little to insulate the cold, but his posture and position seemed almost as relaxed as hers was.

They stared at each other for a moment, unreadable eyes boring into each other, trying to deduce the opponent's fighting pattern.

Her eyes narrowed as the killer intent suddenly rose dramatically.

He was good.

From his coldly handsome features down to his exposed toes, chakra flared, becoming more and more visible to the eye as each second progressed in the state of dense silenced atmosphere.

Then, in a heartbeat, his footing left the ground with a hiss of air and his figure lunged at her, drawing kodachis out of nowhere.

But she was quick. In a swift flurry of red butterflies, she was gone. The air immediately filled with the smell of roses as the genjutsu took hold. It did not last long before he broke through it and located her exact position. Kunais were sent flying through the air, deflecting, clashing, missing.

When she finally shifted out of the treetops to lunge at him, katana drawn and raised above her, a large burst of dark purple chakra consumed his entire body. The blade deflected with her weight pressed fully. A sudden pain coursed through her veins through the blade handle as if she had been shocked. Visibly startled, she fell back, repelled completely, the blade catching onto the ground to prevent her from sliding too far.

What was that?

His ring, perhaps?

Her eyes immediately scanned his slender fingers discreetly, but they were free of any decorations.

"Not bad," he taunted, stepping closer. "For someone your level."

"I'm not that far behind, bitch."

He laughed. "Then prove it."

With a hiss of annoyance muffled by her mask, her feet propelled forward and her fists met his arm. The kodachi followed suit from his free hand, only to be blocked by her armguard. They each released a hand immediately before attacking and blocking again.

Hands found their way against flesh, fists made painful contact against each other. The speed and power of the taijutsu taking place was extraordinary.

Blades clashed like thunder, hers swinging around, his repelling it off in the other direction. Her ankles jerked in the other direction and he followed suit as if in a dance. But no, she had been faking. Before his eyes caught it, her body had twisted around his, reappearing behind him, the katana up against his neck, as swiftly as a swordsman was.

"Proof enough?"

"Maaa, don't think I'd go that easily."

There was a sickening poof as he vanished into the air in a puff of smoke.

Shit.

Silence shrouded her again as she searched for his chakra signature. Nothing. A good concealment jutsu.

She closed her eyes for better concentration and a different method to locate him. He was hiding, baiting, waiting. Up against a man around or greater than Kakashi's level, she had little choice but to fight all out. But so far, there had been no need to use the—

A rustle of leaves startled her and she spun around to see nothing.

A good manipulator.

Taking a deep breath, her hands blurred out the handseals as she's done so many times before: inu, tori, ryu, hebi, ryu, usagi, tori, nezumi, tora, uma, hebi.

The air vibration intensified and a blast of it boomed from her as if water ripples were tearing at the water current. A vast shade of black petals filtered through the air out of plain daylight, dancing across the snow, shooting, circling, flying into the nearby vicinity.

He stared from the shadows, eyes narrowing in suspicion. Genjutsu? No, there was no effect. Some sort of ninjutu? But this was purely elemental, conjuring up black rose petals in midair. One landed in his lap and he picked it up, examined it. A rare rose specimen that could produce poison when reacted properly: Angra Mainya.

If she could originate something so elemental, then she was right when she said her level was not far behind. Shrouding, detection, distraction and poison were all possibilities, and that was excluding all the things possible if chakra was diverted into them. Without further ado, the chakra wall was around him, keeping just discreet enough for her not to sense, but good enough so that no more petals will touch him.

As the snow on the ground began to be tinted in black petals, she decided it was good enough. Following her previous course of action, her hands formed another set of different handseals and waited for the effect, summoning up a good amount of chakra to pull the jutsu off. This was not particularly difficult—she used this set more rather than her ultimate move, but the current one still took some chakra.

And then—red.

They flew everywhere, the butterflies, crimson wings shimmering in the snow white reflected from the dim sunlight, the colors ranging from tangerine red all the way to deep dark scarlet—like blood.

He observed with anticipation and curiosity as giant flocks of red butterflies filled the air. Unusual jutsu. Yet another elemental summon. This was far different form the typical Kuchiyose, the butterflies were not genjutsu, but not were they technically corporally real. It seemed to him like they simply took form of the species: Ahura Mazda, also known as the Magura butterflies.

Then came the sound. The jingling as they soared through the air, as if their wings had wind chimes attached to them. Before long, they were all around him, fluttering around trees, branches, leaves, snow…himself.

Then he realized.

This was what the Ahura Mazda reacted to—especially to human scented petals. Where the black rose was, the butterflies would follow suit. And that also meant fast producing poison. So she was tracking as well as attacking. Immediately, his feet left the branch, but it was too late. The butterflies penetrated his breaking chakra wall and went straight for the black rose petal in his hand. Soon, a good sum of the flock had flown over to him, surrounding him in a large red blob.

She saw her critters circle behind in the back of the trees and a smirk crept up her face beneath the mask. The properties of the Ahura Mazda and the Angra Mainya combination was simple in her opinion. She had invented during a voyage with her sister. The black rose was endangered, if not extinct and Scientist Ninjas spent time analyzing its properties. She had found out that there's only one thing their pollen reacted to: the Ahura Mazda species, or Magura butterflies, which were equally rare and scarce. She had spent a lot of time and effort developing this special jutsu among other things during her free time. She was able to manipulate the flower petals and butterflies into ninjutsu components, where the petals would sort of "pave the path" for the Maguras, who would follow to all the areas the petals scattered to. If a human was in one of them, the Maguras would always go for that first—it was what made the species special. Once attached, upon her will, poison will form between the flower and the insect, and the liquid product would soak through the skin, normally resulting in chakra depletion that are stored in the Magura's bodies, which then are transferred to her.

Her sharp eyes caught the sight of the figure clattering to the foot of the trees, but before she could perform the handseals for poison reaction, the immense dark purple chakra shot out from within the tight clad of butterflies, which were quickly scattered as the area of the chakra coverage grew.

Strong.

Shocking. Her jutsu rarely failed. Her determination unmoved, disabling the Ahura Mazda along with the Angra Maynia, the vicinity cleared of the black and red, and he was exposed to her, in a covering of chakra.

"Angra Maynia and Magura combination hm? Rare. First time seeing it."

"Last time seeing it."

"If I may beg to differ. I am, however, impressed by this jutsu. It appears that it has quite multiple purposes. My analysis would be that if chakra was used, the butterflies and flowers could very well substitute moves for close range taijutsu, could likely replace Shurikens in wide range and are capable of sneaking attacks, poisoning at whatever distance as well as tracking, distraction, apparition and concealment. Am I correct?"

"Just one loophole."

"Oh?"

"Genjutsu."

He braced himself as the swirling red and black settled again, but he was ready this time. Diverting his chakra around him, he quickly canceled the illusions and pinpointed her exact location. His kodachi was in had before she knew it and a slit was drawn from her shoulder. Tiny blood droplets fell to the ground, denting the white with red. Cursing for her carelessness, she bounded up again, the second katana in hand, prepared to strike.

His wrist jerked upward, deflecting the first, then his foot caught hers in a leg-lock just as he ducked her other swing. Immediately recovering in the opposite direction, she jerked her body around his once more, only to have him break loose, reappear behind her and ram a foot in her back impossibly fast. What followed next were a series of powerful taijutsu attacks that she could only defend against from her kneeling position.

Unable to keep sliding back and realizing that she was drawing nearer to the wall of the complex, one of her fingers flipped a small orb from her ANBU pouch. It hit the ground softly and the smokescreen exploded form it immediately.

He sneered. Such normal concealment? Too trivial. "You fight well, missy. But it's my turn now."

With that, the handseals were formed and his chakra dissipated the smoke. As soon as it disappeared, her figure was over his, katanas raised, fire in her eyes. His kodachi blocked the attack, visibly startling her with the strength and power. But then he saw her wrist jerk down to drop several Exploding tagged smoke bombs down onto him. As fast as he could, his released his jutsu. The roar of chakra expanded in the air, hitting the bombs.

Smoke soared. Chakra flared. The size of the explosion was quite considerable, the giant ball of chakra-laden inferno burst hundreds of feet into the air, engulfing the snow, the trees, and even parts of the complex behind her. Her body was thrown back, slamming against the wall and creating large cracks in it. The thundering of the air from the detonation rang in her ears deafeningly and throbbing. Damn him—his chakra was his shield, yet he managed to use it to enhance the explosion so it hurt only her. When she crumbled to the ground, she could see blood running freely down her left arm and shoulder, with a long gash across her left leg.

The fire and smoke were still there.

--------------------------------------------

"How old are you?" He asked, startling Sakura somewhat.

"S-sixteen."

"Fairly young."

Regaining some confidence in the field she was actually better adapted to—verbal retaliations—Sakura tried her best to carry on this conversation, hoping that it would replace the things that are technically supposed to happen in room C13. It was a stalking factor, she could argue. Keep his mind off.

"Fairly young, indeed," he nodded thoughtfully.

"I certainly believe my age to be better than my caretaker's."

"Oh? How old is Shiranui-san?"

"Thirty-odds. And old geezer by my standards."

"You rate high, then."

"I supposed you could say that."

"Am I wrong?"

"No, I simply meant that your comment was rather interesting."

"I would love to taste you, though."

Sakura's heart skipped a beat and she took a deep breath to keep her calm composure. "I don't know if you were aware, but I've been taken once before," she lied, playing by Kakashi's previous lie.

"By your caretaker, no doubt?"

"May I ask how you knew?"

"From your records, you were in his custody for several weeks. Who could resist a single, parentless, orphaned and helpless thing like you?"

Sakura was not sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. "Well, uh--"

"How did your parents die?"

Sakura's brain worked furiously to come up with a good lie on the spot. "It was the war. They took them. Both of them." She contorted her face into the utmost expression of sadness and pain. "One heartbeat they're standing in front of me and the next thing I knew, they were…they were…"

The man turned away, back to the snow, his expression revealing nothing but the blandest of emotions.

Sakura was silent.

Until a rumble shook the entire woodwork of the building. Taken by surprise, she looked up to see the man suddenly tense and alert too. No doubt he noticed it was well. Then from the corner of her eyes, Sakura caught the sight of flames shooting through the air followed by large sums of smoke—a mass exploding tag detonation? What was going on?

She caught the sight of something flashing behind Yajima's eyes as he stared intently up at the rising smokes.

Suddenly, he swung himself over the balcony to land on the snow grounds below.

"W-wait!" She called out, rushing over to where he jumped out. No use. He was already among she trees when she saw him.

Confused, Sakura leaned against the railing. She couldn't leave, yet there was no way so far to let Kakashi know. Nor did she have any desire to walk out with her "clothing" and "shoes."

----------------------------------------

Kakashi's head rose in attentiveness as he felt the chakra pulse through the ground. From his balcony, which faced north, he couldn't see to the back forest, but he could sense something was wrong. Hoping upwards until he reached the ceiling, he quickly scanned the snow covered trees. Smoke was rising beyond the tree tops, fire laced within, the canopy flaring in reflection of it.

Exploding tags?

---------------------------------------

Sakura stood where she was, wondering what she should do. She wanted to see Kakashi, but there honestly was no reason to. She already knew the plan. She just had to hold out until the raid began…and of course, after the raid. The worst part of the mission technically didn't even start yet. She just had to pretend like "Taiso" was keeping her company so the Okiya baa-san won't get back and whip her or something.

But she couldn't help but wonder about the giant explosion. What was that? Who caused it? Why? There was chakra in it too? What the hell?

She spun around as shouts, screams and bangs sounded from the bottom floor, followed by thunks as well as the sound of crashing. From the noise and volume, she deduced that a lot of people were down there—causing whatever commotion it was.

Immediately, she went back downstairs, to see--

----------------------------------------------

Yajima reached the site just in time. He had his reasons for rushing. He knew from the instant he saw the smoke that it came from their hideout. And he had to get back—it was his job, no matter how reluctant. But also because he had a gut feeling that _she_ would be there.

And he was right.

When he arrived, the flames had whiffed out, leaving the melting snow in puddles. Chunks of bricks had chipped away from the wall, where a huge crater dented. At the foot of it was a pool of blood, fresh and red. She stood in front of it all, facing Taiso, who looked a bit better in condition than she was.

At his presence, she turned to him, surprised. "Yajima? What are you doing here?"

"Kayuri, you can't kill him."

She stared at him with those eyes—questioning, anger…

"Don't kill him. You can't."

"I've told you before, I have the power--"

"I know you are capable! But don't."

She looked at him quizzically—incredulously. What was he saying?! This far into the game, she couldn't turn back now. But the look in his face said everything. This was'nt for him, was it?

Then Taiso's deep voice spoke. "Enough stalling. Fight or run."

Kayuri bit her tongue. What could she do?

Before she could answer, however, Taiso spoke again. "Yajima, the raid party has already been sent, they should be there now. You will go back inside and make preparations for the new women, understand?"

Kayuri froze. What? The raid party was already sent? This was not according to plan. If an entire group of normal bandits were to travel, they would reach the okiya in double time in comparison to if they were ninja. If she and Taiso had been battling for roughly twenty minutes and they were sent right as she was infiltrating his complex, his men should already be situated around the okiya. Kakashi and Sakura were expectant, that much she knew. But to what extent? She was positive they had no knowledge of the Sanju Shotai—and from her gathered information, they were to be present to save the okiya from the raid.

If what she found out was correct, then her mistake of deciding to not tell Kakashi and Sakura about the Sanju Shotai could be fatal. She had originally planned to take care of Taiso, go to the sabotage (she knew his men would go through with it even if their leader was dead, because after all, they were womanizers. Taiso simply kept them unified and more organized), and then fight off the Sanju Shotai so Kakashi and Sakura could complete their part of the mission without hindrance. Now, as she realized, if she showed up then, it might be too late. The Sanju Shotai were chuunin-jounin equivalents afterall—they could do the job easily if there was no interference. She had to get there. Fast.

She saw the look of urgency in Yajima's eyes as he cast her a last pleading glance before nodding to Taiso and disappearing to inside the complex. Before she knew, she was skidding from branch to branch, trying to reach the damned okiya as fast as she could.

Taiso stared after her for a moment, then picked up his somewhat singed robe and heading back inside, the breath of smirk contorting on his features.

-----------------------------------------

"SAE! LEAD YOUR SQUAD TO THE FOURTH HALLWAY!"

"YES SIR!"

"WE WILL GET OUR REWARDS!"

"TAISO-SAMA IS WAITING!"

"SANJU SHOTAI, REMEMBER WHAT WE'RE FIGHTING FOR!"

Shouts and screams filled the air as battle broke out in the entrance hallway of the okiya. Frightened prostitutes shut and locked the doors to which ever room they were in, but Sakura headed directly for the center of commotion. When she finally made her way down to where the battles were breaking out, she knew something was not right.

If this was a raid, why would there be another group of men and women fighting the raggedly-dressed people who were no doubt the bandits?

With that, her eyes immediately searched for Kakashi.

"Sakura, are you alright?" A familiar voice suddenly spoke form behind her, pulling the two of them behind a wooden pillar to hide.

"Kakashi-sensei, what's going on?"

---------------------------------------------

Her footsteps became more frenzied as the okiya finally came into view. She could already see form her position the men scattered all over the place—alive and dead among each other. Weapons littered the scene, but she was still far.

_Let me make it in time…_

_-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

_aaahhh...sorry it took a while to update. school's taking a huge chunk out of my time. _

_just one thing about this chapter, i didnt make the terms Ahura Mazda or Angra Mainya up. if you google zoroastrianism, it's there._

_anyway, i hope you enjoyed the chapter. i know the thing with kayuri is gonna be a bit confusing, but it'll be revealed when the time comes. in the meantime, reviews are always welcome._


	8. Sanju Shotai, Taiso's Compound

Sorry about how long this took, but damn it, school is seriously time consuming. IN any case, enjoy!

--------------

"Kakashi-sensei, what the hell is going on?!" Sakura shouted over the roars of the ninjas currently engaged in battles just a few feet away from the two of them. The clinks of the weapons and jutsus were too noisy for her voice to be heard normally.

Kakashi didn't answer immediately. His lone eye had intensified, and was searching around the messy scene for something. Then, surprising Sakura with his deep and soft voice, the clarity despite the noise, he mumbled, "Sanju Shotai…?"

"Eh? What?"

"This is bad…we might have to fight them."

"Kakashi-sensei, I'm not following."

"It's them, I can't believe this. Sakura, you sta--"

"KAKASHI!" Sakura roared, frustrated, finally getting his undivided attention.

"Hm?" He said as if he only just noticed her and as if she did not just yell his name rudely without the honorific.

"What are you talking about?"

"Sanju Shotai. Tsunade offered me an optional S-rank mission a few weeks ago concerning Ame's new ANBU that started recently. I declined, but now I think back, I recognize their faces from the bingo book listing the Godaime showed me."

Sakura blinked. "Are you serious? Kakashi-sensei actually remembers things?"

Kakashi stared. "…"

"In any case, what do you supposed we do?"

Kakashi thought. This was bad. Very very bad. Bad bad bad. If they did nothing, they would get caught in the crossfire, that would be inevitable. Add that onto the fact that his face might very well be imprinted on the enemies' Bingo books, and if that were the case, he would be up against—what?—say…about almost eighty people? That would be enough to render him incapable, and even if he were to survive, he wouldn't be able to protect Sakura.

On the other hand, if he fought for Taiso's gang, then Sanju Shotai could hold this against not only him, but the entire Konohagakure as their enemy. He knew this to be one of their first missions and they were very ambitious people who hated to be defeated. However, if he fought for the Sanju Shotai, then the raid would never happen, meaning they would never have a chance to get the ring and complete the mission. While that might be less risky on Sakura's part, Kakashi thought it was a double-edged sword. If the gang was gone, but the ring still with Taiso, it would be inevitable for him to seek revenge. Then, not only would the mission go blotched, Taiso could probably complete his revenge on Konoha somehow, but Kakashi and Sakura could die. Not that he really cared, since he knew he had a waiting list of people who wanted to kill him, and death was only natural in a shinobi's life.

And as he finally made up his mind, Kakashi pulled up the leather strap that covered his left eye swiftly to reveal the swirling red and black of the Sharingan.

"Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asked uncertainly, ducking a kunai.

"Go find a room and stay with the prostitutes. You will be taken. Defend yourself if necessary, just don't die."

"Wait, wait, wait, wait—wha--?" Before Sakura could finish, Kakashi shoved her way from him roughly as a wave of shuriken flew over their heads. She caught herself before she fell, and looked back at him to see him dismiss her with a forceful nod that said very clearly, "Do what I said."

Without further ado, her slender legs were carrying her down the hall, around a right corner back into the C hallway, where she believed was quite some distance away from the battles. Little did she know things were only starting to heat up.

--------------------------

The pain in her wounds were throbbing beyond imagination. It seemed that Taiso must have applied chakra to it so she couldn't heal it with normal medic jutsu. Cursing under her breath, Kayuri placed a hand over her bleeding shoulder, choosing to ignore the sting every time her legs tapped on a branch. Her teeth were gritted in pain beneath the mask, but the determination in her eyes was unchanging.

But why? Why was she hurrying so much just to save some people she officially met merely a few days ago? (with the exception of Kakashi, of course, but he's always been more of a distant teacher, rather than a close friend)

And Kayuri found herself wondering about that. She had said that their missions were unrelated—she'll do hers while they do theirs. And death and failure were not uncommon. Then why was she going through all the trouble of helping them?

She knew the answer.

But the answer hurt.

-------------------------

"DOTON: DORYUU DAN!"

There was a momentary hiss in the air before giant mud balls shot out from a Sanju Shotai member, aimed for one of the structural pillars. One of Taiso's guys countered quickly with another earth jutsu, but he only got rained upon by another Sanju Shotai.

As Taiso's men slowly won the battled over the Ame ANBU, Kakashi was right along there with them.

"Suiton: Suiryu dan!" A water dragon rose out of nowhere, directly splashing men at the entrance. Kakashi spun around fast enough to see another Ame ANBU charge at him, katana raised. His Sharingan spun on reflex and in a matter of seconds, the man was on the floor, unconscious. He carefully picked up the unconscious figure and stashed him against a wall a good few feet away. He didn't want to kill the ANBU.

He whirled around as a blade inched off to his side and he slammed his fist into the face of whoever it was stupid enough to try and attack him. It was a woman. She tumbled to the ground, turning on her back to face him, fire in her eyes before it was replaced by shock.

"H-Hatake?!?"

Kakashi wondered for a moment whether or not she was from Ame's ANBU or one of Taiso's men, but after a momentary mental confliction, he realized that there would be no reason for Taiso to have women on his team. Unless of course, lesbians, so to speak.

But even as he thought, the female bounded up incredibly fast and faced him in a stance.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, voice laced with daggers. "Aren't you from Konoha? Why are you fighting us?"

_Shit. She knows I'm from Konoha. So much for anonymity._

Before he could give an answer, however, there was a sharp ripple of chakra in the air, followed by a fierce rumble. What ensued was a loud storm of dusk and concrete as the wall of the entrance burst forth with an incredible amount of energy that as far as Kakashi knew, could only have been matched by the Godaime.

The roomful of ninjas shielded themselves against the whirlwind of chakra blazing, the fighting seized for a moment as a figure stood almost majestically in the light that poured through the giant hole. The figure appeared black for a moment before stepping into the erosion of the base of the wall.

Then the fighting returned. Shouts and clinks ensued as the intruder was ignored. Kakashi turned back to where the woman was standing before, only to see that she had become too engaged in another fight to pay him any mind. That was a good thing, for he had realized who the intruder was.

"Kayuri?"

The dust cleared and her state was visible. The ANBU was clutching a bloodied arm, her body slightly crouched as if in a stance. There were torn spots on her leg that reflected wounds and battle, and add that to the fact her uniform had the tell tale signs of black patches of singed fabric told Kakashi that she was near the explosion.

From where he was, he could see that her breath was raspy and shallow and when her head finally rose to meet his eyes, the question in those hazel orbs was clear: _Did I make it in time?_

She appeared swiftly next to Kakashi in the next minute, but as his Sharingan caught her moving like no naked eye could, he noticed a slight wince in her steps, contorted momentarily on her masked face. "What happened?" He asked briskly, stepping with her off to the side to avoid the line of fire.

"Things came up. I was careless," was her slightly pained reply.

"And the explosion?"

She looked up for a minute, paused and mumbled, "Like I said, I was careless."

"I thought you had your own mission? Why interfere with ours?"

"My mission's been put on hold for now. I told you, I was assigned partially as your escort, remember? I had to come."

"Is it Sanju Shotai? What do you know about them besides the fact that they're Ame's new ANBU establishment?"

"They're stingy, skimpy bastards."

"You're oddly descriptive today."

Kayuri hitched a breath in mock laughter. Obviously she was in a dangerous mood. "I had a crossing with them a few months back, where I was traveling in Amegakure and I came across them having some sort of training session. I was undercover, so they didn't know I was a Konoha ANBU no less, but they deduced far enough to know I was an outsider to not know the geography of the mountains they were staying in. After I found out they were the new ANBU, I asked for a favor, which they so very gracefully declined."

"That's why they're stingy and skimpy?"

"No. The next day, I was checking out of my hotel when I heard they were taking out some street goons for one of the so-called aristocrats of the village. Damn, I was pissed. And just a few weeks prior to now, I requested a mission to investigate them, but I was turned down, my sector captain telling me they needed me on something else."

"I see," Kakashi mumbled, catching a kunai as it zoomed past his ear. "What were you doing in Ame to begin with?"

"Business trip."

"For ANBU?"

"Could be. Can't say."

"Hm," Kakashi grunted without too much interested. "So?"

"What?"

"Sanju Shotai. Tell me about them."

"To sum long story short seeing the situation, I'll just give you a general overview of origin and purpose. They started after they first caught wind of Taiso's gang's movements. They've been wanting to protect this little village since there was no real government, just some freak feudal lords that were pulled around by Taiso's men. The first idea came to the leader, Gokusei Zaraki after the incident with Sahami Aoi. You remember him?"

"The one from the race with Morino Idate? Heard it from Sakura when they got back. Don't tell me Aoi--"

"Yes. He was the inspiration, you could say. After he was declared missing-nin, Zaraki decided it was time to end this crap from Ame and went about collecting members. Worked on it for quite a few years and came up with Sanju Shotai."

"Only thirty?"

Kayuri shook her head. "No, what kind of ANBU would that be? The name was given due to the fact that on missions, only thirty of them go at the same time. The real organization, if totaled up, is…I'd say only about a sixth of our ANBU. That's about fifty people."

"The other twenty are reserved for backup?"

"Something like that. The main issue here for us right now is that they're all above chuunin level, if not borderlining our ANBU level. But they can't fully release their jutsus here."

"Don't want to harm those they came to save, huh?"

"Hn." Kayuri winced suddenly beside him, her eyes contorted in agony.

"Can you handle it?" Kakashi asked lazily.

"No problem," Kayuri managed with a smile behind her mask. "This is nothing."

The scene was quite bizarre. At least forty people were engaged in fighting, unleashing jutsus and all sorts of attacks. Unconscious and limp bodies littered the corners of the room next to destroyed furniture and shattered wall. And in the corner was an ANBU kunoichi and a seriously badass Hatake. Both wore similar masks—if anyone saw them without pretense, it was likely for them to be marked as relatives of some kind.

"Where's Sakura?" Kayuri asked, once again attempting to heal her wounds.

"C13."

"You planned for her to be captured?"

"No choice."

"You're fighting for Taiso's men, then."

"No choice."

"Good choice. I'll be right behind you."

-------------------------------

Sakura sat nervously in the corner, knees tucked awkwardly to her chin, all the while trying to ignore the frightened whispers of the other prostitutes. She couldn't blame them—being prostitutes was bad enough without people fighting in their peaceful okiya.

"Hana…was it?" A nervous voice asked from beside her. Sakura turned slightly to see a girl a bit younger than her with big blue eyes and golden hair.

"Wh-what's going on?"

Sakura opened her mouth to answer, but realized she couldn't. How could she, when she herself didn't even know? "Just a fight," she said, choosing her words carefully and vaguely.

"Why is there a fight?"

"I don't know."

From beside them, a much older woman promptly slapped the frightened little girl. "Shut up, bitch! We don't need any stupid questions right now."

"Hey!" Sakura interjected, her blood suddenly boiling over the surface. "What was that for?"

The woman's sharp features suddenly focused on Sakura. "Hana, was it? The new slut imported from a war area? You've got some nerve, speaking to me like that when you're the new one. Not to mention stealing our customers."

"How can you be wallowing over that now when people are dying outside this door?"

"Our lives are miserable anyway. What's there to lose?"

Sakura's eyes were practically burning. "Even if there's an ounce of energy left in you, survive or help survival, damn it!"

The woman laughed. "Survive? These people are probably here to take us away to some other place where we'll be raped and killed. What is there to survive?"

Sakura paused, slightly taken aback by the woman's words.

And when the older woman spoke again, her voice was heavy. "Most of us here have been through things like that. You'd never understand, bitch."

Sakura stayed silent, fighting back the urge to say, "Look who's talking." But they were right.

-------------------------------------

"Yajima?"

"Hai."

"You knew that ANBU?"

"…Hai."

"You knew she was going to attack me?"

"No, Taiso-sama."

"Are the preparations ready?"

"Hai."

------------------------------

The wood smashed a bit too easily under Kakashi's punch. Beside him, the enemy shinobi doubled over into the wall, stuttering in fright.

"Kujaku Myoho!"

_Kujaku Myoho?!_

A great lavender hued cloud of chakra burst forth and smashed the man to the side along with four other, leaving behind a huge crater in the wall.

Kakashi turned to see Kayuri.

"Kujaku Myoho? Where'd you learn that? You didn't train in Hoshigakure," Kakashi deadpanned. (A/N: reference to filler—Kujaku Myoho is a chakra manipulation jutsu that can only be learned in Hoshigakure)

"Well, it's like your Sharingan…sort of…kind of…not really. Sorry."

Before Kakashi could answer back, a blow aimed at his head needed to be knocked away and he raised his hand, using the steel plate to deflect it. Down the hall, the screams of prostitutes finally arose as the explosions reached further through the chambers.

_Prostitutes…!_

"Kayuri, here's a plan."

"Yes, Kakashi-senpai?"

"Go be a prostitute."

"…Kakashi-senpai, what kind of girl do you take me for, exactly?"

"That's not what I meant. Go undercover as a prostitute. Keep an eye on Sakura. When she's in the compound, I can't do anything. You're the closest thing she can get now to protection."

Kayuri dodged a swipe and sent her foot ramming into the shinobi's chest. The plan offered was not a bad idea, she decided. That way, she could settle scores with a certain shinobi. "Alright then. I'll see you later."

"Change first. Or at least temporarily use Henge."

"Don't worry, I know."

----------------------------------

An agonizingly slow hour passed, where the stalemate between Sanju Shotai and Taiso's gang failed to gain progress. That was not to say Kakashi and Kayuri were not decorated with cuts and bruises all over their body, but generally speaking in terms of life and death, they at least, were more fortunate than some lined across the floor.

And while the prostitutes were forced into cramping all at one room, the prospect of Kayuri joining them still laid heavily over her head.

No one ever paused, though. During the battle, not one single body (that was still breathing) was static. This caused the room to be in quite a frenzy with kunais thrown all over the place, blood beginning to stain the walls. Shouts and cries were left unheard as the roar of jutsus toppled them off.

Both sides fought well, Kakashi had to give them that. Ame's AMBU lived up to his expectations and none less was expected from people who were with Taiso for that long a period of time.

It was not until four ANBU members died that Kakashi decided to lighten up a bit. In truth, he didn't kill them. They weren't his enemies, just some hindrance, interference. Rather, he let them fall prey to their enemy. And such with the loss of manpower on Sanju Shotai's side, they were being forcefully driven back and out of the okiya.

The scene was bizarre, really, all these ninja fighting in an okiya.

The only problem for Kakashi was, well, being Kakashi. Upon Sae's earlier bout of recognition, the other ANBU members had caught wind of it, proceeding, predictably, to label the Copy Nin as the Konoha White Fang.

"Why is Konoha fighting us?!"

"Hatake?! Why are you here?!"

"White Fang!!!!!"

And Kakashi, being the way he was, never failed to hold his tongue. That would probably be a black taint on Konoha's propaganda, but he'll have to whip up some excuse for Tsunade to chew on later. And as for himself…he probably couldn't have cared less. Maybe he could, but at least he was not dead.

On top of that, fighting against the Ame ANBU leader was no easy task. It was like taking on a Zabuza equivalent all over again, albeit without a blonde cheering, an Uchiha jeering and a cherry blossom screaming "Kyaaa! Sasuke-kun!"

When he was repelled back by Zaraki, he was faced with the loud question from his adversary, "You're not our enemy, Hatake! Why fight us?"

Kakashi replied in his normal droning tone, "Sorry, I know that. But it's kind of hard to say…"

---------------------

"Henge." A puff of smoke appeared and disappeared. Kayuri glanced down at her body. Ugh.

How she could ever COMFORTABLY travel in this costume was slightly beyond her understanding. Before wallowing too much misery on the thought, she quickly made her way to room C13 and pushed open the door.

-------------------

Sakura stared as clanking footsteps approached. Her body tensed almost instinctively, prepared to defend if necessary. When the door opened, it goes without saying she was surprised to see Kayuri standing there, looking as prostitute-like as can be.

"K-Kayuri-san?!"

The other prostitutes turned, surprised beyond measure at the sudden intrusion, friend or foe uncertain.

"This is fucking uncomfortable!" Kayuri hissed as she bent down beside Sakura, trying her best to tug down the shrunken garments.

"Why are you here?" Sakura asked tentatively.

Kayuri paused for a moment before whispering in her ear discreetly in the pretense of examining her sandals, "Escort, protection."

It took a moment for Sakura to register, but when she figured it out, the wall shuddered with a huge force hard enough to draw dust and splinters from the ceiling.

"Who're _you_?" One of the other prostitutes questioned. "Never seen you around before."

Kayuri didn't even pause before answering the swift lie, "I'm actually new here too. Came from the same area as Hana did."

"You wouldn't happen to be for Taiso also, would you?"

"The client? Or the white-haired man?"

"The whitehead already tasted Hana."

Sakura noted that Kayuri's eyelid twitched slightly as she cast Sakura a tiny glance, to which Sakura shook her head slightly.

"Is that so?" Kayuri proceeded politely. "I'm sure the whitehead must be privileged."

"I don't know about that, but the noises pointed to some seriously good stuff."

Kayuri nodded thoughtfully, her face reflecting that of the utmost exaggerated interest.

The next few minutes were passed out in tense silence. Where Kayuri and Sakura had events to expect, they knew the other prostitutes had no idea at all, which to them, was a whole lot worse.

A rumble shook the room again, but this time, there was a sickening crack of the wall as it split. The next second, the entire side of the room crumpled into dust and debris, the material of the side of the room broken in pieces right before their eyes.

The occupants of the room scrunched further; Sakura and Kayuri bounded up to their feet, staying up, but in a low stance.

Before any cold react, a smoke bomb went off almost immediately, the tense cloud of grey-ish purple filtering into every nook and cranny of the room until visibility plummeted to negative degrees. Sakura covered her mouth quickly, feeling more helpless than ever as she heard and felt rushing footsteps pass just out of her reach.

High pitched screams soon ensued, followed by the sound of bodies tumbling to the ground.

"Byakugan!"

_What? There's no Hyuuga here,_ Sakura though immediately, spinning around. In the smoke, she could see none of the frenzy, she could only hear and feel them—the thump of bodies as they fell, hands slapping flesh, screams of prostitutes and the occasional shouts of the kidnappers. Things were happening too fast.

It was a miracle she was safe so far.

But it didn't last long.

A hand reached to the base of her neck, and there was a blissful moment of numbness as Sakura felt her head collide hard against something. Prior to her eyes sliding shut, she found herself staring into red and black orbs.

_…Sharingan…?_

Kayuri watched in relief as Sakura slumped on the ground, unconscious. Taiso's men had begun rallying up the other unconscious prostitutes. Quickly concealing her chakra and hoping they didn't notice anything, Kayuri fell back, pretending to be knocked out.

-----------------------------

Two hours later…

"Hatake?! What is the meaning of this?"

Kakashi grunted displeasingly as his rear hit the ground a little harder than he predicted. His hands tied behind his back, his Sharingan returned to being covered, and stripped of his shuriken holster, he was practically left as vulnerable as ninjas could be.

Not to mention surrounded by Taiso's men in an area he couldn't say was like the back of his hand. Simply speaking, he was in Taiso's compound.

The Ame's ANBU were driven out of the okiya rather unceremoniously, not that Kakashi gave them a choice after "teleporting" a third of them to the base of the mountain with his Mangekyou—difficult, but not as much as the time when he had to use it on Deidara. However, that left him in a weak enough state to be tied down and dragged around.

So far into his sojourn on Taiso's compound, the man himself didn't seem to be around. Maybe he was already busying himself in entering women. In any case, Kakashi did hope Sakura nor Kayuri would end up as any of them.

A hard punch on his jaw quickly snapped him back to his current, miserable position.

"That was a bit unexpected," he mumbled, tasting metallic in his mouth.

"Why are you here?" A gruff man roared into his face, almost making poor Kakashi recoil from the stench of his breath. If every one of Taiso's gang members were as gross as him, no wonder why they had to kidnap women to get any.

Choosing not to voice out his last comment, Kakashi said calmly, "That's not very nice to the man who just delivered to you a third of your victory."

"But you still haven't answered my question!"

"Why am I here? It's simple. You people must have short term memory loss because I'm here due to the fact that you guys tied me up and led me here."

That earned him another punch that echoed through the dark room.

"Why. Are. You. HERE?!?!" The man growled, his voice rising and his patience obviously waning.

"I have business with your boss," Kakashi lied.

"What business?" Another man asked, suspicion evident in his voice. "Certainly not a reunion over tea?"

"I see he's told you about me," Kakashi mumbled in disdain. "In any case, no, unless there's organic green tea in here."

"Honestly," the gruff man spoke, "We have no grudge against you. But if it's the boss you're looking for, you'll have to wait."

"In the meantime—"

"You'll stay here."

"I would like to—"

"Be quiet or die."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. So that's how he was going to be treated, hm? Fine. Flashing some quick seals behind his back (though not without difficulty), Kakashi thought about what needed to be done.

------------------------------

Sakura's eyes fluttered open to dim, almost no lighting. Almost immediately, the strong smell of herbs filled her senses and her brain registered that she was submerged in warmth, as if she was waking up in a hotspring.

Wait…this _is _a hot spring.

Her eyes snapped wide as she looked down to see the misty white water swirling gently around her, the green leaves of herbs floating in contrast to the liquid and steam. She was naked, as was the other bathers there with her.

Then, a hand snaked out from behind her and grasped her mouth shut tightly, muffling her startled cry.

"Shut up!" A familiar voice hissed.

Kayuri!

The hand let go and Sakura turned around to face her ANBU companion.

"Where are we?" She whispered.

"Taiso's complex. This seems to be some sort of cleansing ritual. Sensitive rapist, that Taiso."

"How do you know? Weren't you--?"

"No, I faked unconsciousness. And sorry about earlier."

"Huh?"

"I hit you to conk you out. If it had been them, you'd have a serious concussion."

Sakura paused to think back, then remembered—the groping hand, the hard punch…the Sharingan? "Was Kakashi-sensei there?"

"Eh? No, why do you ask?"

"I swear, I saw a Sharingan before I fainted."

Kayuri looked startled for a moment before replying, "That's weird. Don't tell me one of Taiso's men has a Sharingan also."

They lapsed into silence, the droning of the quietness ringing in their ears as they waited for…whatever they were supposedly waiting for. The warm water also had a calming, drowsing effect that made Sakura want to doze off into the warmth.

But the soft tap on her shoulder kept her awake. "Don't sleep. Keep alert. This is White Skeleton water. Healing abilities aside, mixed with the proper herbs, it induces sleep. And once you've fallen asleep with and in this, your chakra is depleted when you wake up. It's a good thing you've only been unconscious in here for five minutes before I woke you."

Sakura took a deep breath of the soothing aroma and whispered, "What should we do?"

The answer from Kayuri never came—instead, the door to the far side of the room creaked open to reveal two men standing in the frame, figures darkened by the light that shone behind them.

"Play dead," Kayuri hissed, slumping against the boulder lining and Sakura quickly followed.

The two watched discreetly and intently as the two men reached into the water for one of the prostitutes closest to them and dragged her up into a towel. As she left the water, her mind seemed to wake up slightly, and her body stiffened. A bowl of what looked like water was pressed to her lips by one of the men before the liquid inside was tilted in.

Maybe Taiso's men did care for needs of the rapees, afterall.

Silently, she was led out of the door, and it shut with a barely audible thump.

Sakura turned back to Kayuri, who suddenly slid out of the water (naked, making Sakura blush slightly) and snatched up the bowl the woman drank out of. Dipping her fingers into the drop of leftover contents, Kayuri tasted it. Her brows furrowed slightly and she set it down, returning to the water.

"What is it?" Sakura asked.

"Hard to say. Not enough amount to determine. Could be just water, though."

At that very moment, a muffled scream sounded from the other side of the opposing wall—a quite obvious tell tale sign that Taiso had…done it.

The scream was cut off rather abruptly, which only served to startle Sakura more. Then silence shrouded them again. If it had been on any other circumstances, she would have felt much more relaxed in this sort of room: a comfortable and warm hotspring, herbal aromatherapy, a peacefulness she rarely felt, the sauna-like humidity and wetness of the wooden walls…

"Sakura, don't sleep, damn it," Kayuri growled in her ear again just as the door opened once more.

The retrieval process repeated.

And again.

Being kept awake and alert, Sakura felt more helpless than ever. The numbers decreased by three already and it was unnerving to watch as the women were just taken away and supposedly disposed of. She was scared. Unbelievably scared.

And that fear made her feel that it would be better if she went to sleep.

"Sakura, don't drink out that bowl," Kayuri warned in a low voice.

"You figured out what it is?"

Kayuri shook her head warily. "I can't say for certain yet, but just to be sure, avoid drinking it."

Sakura nodded in understanding, the tightness in her chest worse than before when she was in C13 of the okiya. Yes, Kayuri's presence did have a reassuring effect, but nevertheless, Sakura did not like the prospect of simply waiting to be raped.

She half debated whether or not she could simply make a mad dash out of the door.

And somehow make it back to Konoha alive.

Psh.

"Everything will be fine, okay, Sakura?" Kayuri smiled gently.

"What about you?"

"What about me?"

"What do you do if you get chosen before me?"

"I don't know. But since my wounds have been healed by this water, I guess I could fight," Kayuri said, her mind already racing to the answer of the question.

Truthfully, if she was chosen before Sakura, she could very well get the opportunity to attack Taiso and somehow search the ring altogether. But should she fail, Sakura and the other people's lives would be endangered and she herself would surely die.

At that moment, the door opened yet again and the two men entered. Sakura saw them draw near, her heart pounding, hoping they'll pick anyone but she and Kayuri.

But their feet kept advancing, showed no signs to stop. Until they stood just above her.

Sakura tensed.

_Goddamit. _

_-----------------_

_Aaaah, hope you ppl liked this chapter. THe relationship between Kakashi and Sakura will develop, dont worry. In the meantime, reviews are much appreciated._


	9. Kodak Day

The truth about Sakura was that, when it came to a really tough situation, she couldn't always pull some amazing combat at last minute like Naruto could. The fight with the Akatsuki member had once convinced her otherwise, but for that miracle, there were three opposites for counter--Which would be why she had always considered herself a weakling amongst her Chidori-mastering, Rasengan-conjuring and Sharingan-wielding teammates.

And now, being dragged up and out of the water by her arms stark naked, Sakura thought about what Kayuri had whispered to her the second before the men had grabbed her.

"Use what you're best at," the ANBU had said in her ear briefly before slumping down upon a rock.

As a fluffy towel was dumped upon Sakura's pretend-limb body, her mind began racing.

_What I'm best at?_

_What am I good at?_

_Medical jutsus? That wouldn't really help…_

_If only these guys can not see me not drink or something—_

_Not see…_

With a slight twitch in her eye, her hands formed the familiar string of handseals while the men were busying themselves with the bowl.

Kayuri peered up the edge of the rock warily, mouth twisted into a discreet sneer. At least Sakura looked like she got the hint. The men's motions were flailing in the air, looking slightly more solid then normal pretend—as if they were professional mimes. And Sakura stood beside the two bastards, eyeing their movements cautiously, hands stuck on the seal that undoubtedly held her genjutsu.

-------------------------

_This can all go to hell_, Kakashi cursed mentally, stumbling yet again in the high-heeled costumes of the prostitute outfit. Trying to be discreet was still a priority, though achieving it was becoming harder by the minute. Was It a female thing, maybe? To walk around in giant wooden clogs when seducing others?

He had considered putting up a ninja outfit instead of Henge-ing into a woman figure he used earlier, but as he observed earlier, the men were all very familiar with each other and would recognize an outsider immediately.

His goal then, he supposed, would be to rule out the fact that the ring was anywhere else but Taiso's body. Sakura will be taking care of that part.

Sakura…

The thought of her with his former friend brought a tiny shockwave of anger and nausea welling up in his gut, and he threatened to smash the wall beside him.

But he shouldn't worry. Sakura would be capable.

----------------------

A few rare times in her life, Sakura have thought of herself as the one on top of everything. In the academy days, she was the smartest, with training in chakra control, she was the first to get onto the tree, and her proudest moment—surviving that goddamn Akatsuki in a valiant struggle to save her ass, as well as Chiyo-obaasan.

However, obviously, being dragged out of the bath house with a loose towel barely clinging to her breasts and trying to pretend she was unconscious and didn't at all want to beat up the men who were sliding their hands down to private areas was certainly not one of those on-top-of-everything moments.

Up until that moment, gritting her teeth and sucking things up seemed to have suited her rather well, until she heard the opening and closing slides of a door behind her.

What?

She blanched. Was the ride there over already? But it seemed so short. There was no way she was already in Taiso's presence. No fucking way.

Cracking her eyelids open a fraction of a millimeter, Sakura felt her heart pound almost painfully against her chest.

There was a crimson silk-linen bed in the far end of the room, and a strange but fascinating pattern drawn on the floor before her, in the dead center of the room. The lighting was merciful to the eyes—candles and old fashioned chandeliers hung from the walls, flames flickering the shadows…would be an ideal setting for sex, only with more romance, hopefully.

But it was who was sitting on the bed that made Sakura stiffen.

A man, near Kakashi's age—dark hair and finely chiseled features. His physique was quite nice, considering the revealing bit visible to Sakura by the loose fold in his dark purple yukata. He had long black hair that flowed down to almost his waist, and paired together with his icily narrow eyes, he gave off the impression of an evil overlord.

Sakura was much displeased to see his gaze settling on her intensely—in fact, so much that her skin was crawling just from his stare.

Gulping as tactfully as possible and hoping her thumping heart would not give away her awareness, Sakura closed her eyes as he approached, feeling more exposed and vulnerable than ever. She was still only in a towel. A towel that was not kind enough to stay hanging on her cleavage, and it was moments like these that made her wish she had larger breasts.

Physical extremities aside, Sakura's eye twitched visibly as Taiso loomed over her, his large shadow draping over her shrinking form like a dark cloud.

"Drop the act, kunoichi."

Sakura felt she died. _What?_ Unsure she heard what she initially thought she heard, she decided to stay comatose for a little longer—just to be sure.

"Drop the act."

The time, the voice was louder, more firm.

Acknowledging hopeless defeat, Sakura carefully opened her eyes, only to meet Taiso's gaze. He was observing her, his sharp eyes missing little—almost nothing, making her feel like a specimen.

She never got a chance to react to what happened next.

In a blur, there was a splitting pain in her arm was she was tugged onto her feet with incredible force and speed. The next thing she knew, Taiso had her pulled to him, facing away, and both of her hands gripped tightly behind her back.

"What are you doing here?" He growled viciously in her ear, his breath stinging her skin. She wanted to vomit at the close proximity.

"I-I'm from the okiya."

"A kunoichi from the okiya?"

"Y-yes…?"

"How did you evade the drink?"

Seeing no immediate ending to the string of impossible questions, Sakura struggle vainly against his strong hold, earning her a kodachi to the neck.

A kunoichi restrained is not the same thing as a cat backed into a corner in Sakura's case, because clearly she could not maneuver out of Taiso's damned clutches. As she held hot tears within her eyes, she heard the water jingle of a small bottle behind her. Then, blinking as a strong hand forced her jaw up, a foul, sour tasting liquid flooded her mouth.

If Sakura has ever thought that Kakashi's famous "Vegetable Soup" or Naruto's cooking was gross, it was nothing compared to the filth that was running down her throat. She gagged, automatically leaning forward in an attempt to expel the bitter, salty, sour and tangy substance out, but a large hand capped over her mouth, and within moments, her vision was blurring.

And despite her mental protests, her struggling weakened.

-------------------------

_She was running—running, running—glancing behind; the cloak of red and black was still fast behind her. She would never make it. _

_Fighting him was impossible, a large patch of her back skin was already shaved off, and bleeding profusely. She turned around once again—one more time—looking, he was behind her. _

_Behind her. _

_Her eyes had a momentary shockwave to widen before her knees fell—collapsed—to the ground in a painful—agonizing—thump. Warm, thick crimson ran down her midriff, thighs, knees—soaking into the ground. And she was leaning against the tree, a kunai laying uselessly between her fingers. _

_He loomed over her, beady eyes glaring down on her because she was weak. _

_Weak—incapable—unable. _

_Sakura slid shut her eyes and waited for the attack. _

Naruto, ramen is bad for you health. Sasuke, I once hated you. Tsunade-sama, stop procrastinating. Ino, don't die an old maid. Kakashi-sensei—

_The soft waft of roses tinged the air._

Kakashi-sensei…

_Rushing footsteps—two pairs-- racing, running, dashing. It came in her direction, followed by a katana drawing, quicksilver gleaming briefly, maliciously. A mammoth augment to chakra energy, a giant rise of killer intent—an Akatsuki's scream, a pained gasp, a restrained curse._

_Blood dripping on the ground before Sakura. Her eyes stayed closed. _

_Scurrying sandals paced off in a direction, followed by the soft friction of ninja shoes in the same path. _

_A presence was still in front of her. _

_"Sakura," the voice whispered, bending down. _

Kakashi-sensei…

----------------------------------

Barely remaining consciousness, Sakura's eyelids felt like rocks when they somehow lifted next. She found herself sitting on the hard wood floor, shoulders sagging and legs stretched out in front of her. In addition to her swimming vision, the throbbing in her head felt as if her chakra had been sucked dry out of her veins, as if Tsunade just sent her head rocketing into a wall. Nausea had also settled in upon her awakening, and she immediately registered who was behind her.

Taiso.

She was leaning back into him, as he held her shoulders to keep her from completely falling back. He seemed to still have his robes on, though the chest had opened up a little more, now that it was pressed against her back. And judging from the length of the wax of the candles on the wall, she was only out for a few minutes.

Not long enough to be raped, she hoped, as she didn't find any abnormal pains or body liquids on her.

But almost as soon as the thought and relief hit her soggy brains, a sharp rip soon jerked her back into misery. The back of her flimsy garment had just been torn (as if there was much to begin with, anyway).

Sakura wanted to turn around and defend, but found her body too heavy to obey; moreover, every twitch she somehow managed sent bullets of sparks spiraling through her head, bouncing all the way down again to pain and then numb her limbs.

She tried raising her voice, but only found it to sound similar to a choked gasp that made her saliva feel like acid fire in her throat.

In immediate response to her situation, Sakura began circulating her chakra, locating the locks on her muscles. Whatever the drink did to her, it was not an easy matter to solve. Even keeping a control on her chakra was becoming the hardest thing she's ever done.

But even while she was busy trying to regain movement, Taiso was not still either. Sakura heard the wisps of sharp air as his hands undoubtedly formed hand seals.

For what?

Was there a jutsu to rape people?

To make it more or less pleasant?

A warmth, then, flowed in and out of her right arm, her fingers wiggled under her silent command. Just then, two firm slaps landed on the back of her shoulders—so painful, they brought tears to her eyes. Sakura screamed as loud as it would sound—a coarse howl of agony.

Through the haze of blazing pain and confusion as a white-hot flow shot into her body from the point of penetration, Sakura was not aware of raising her hand and punching Taiso away, nor have any recollections of rolling away feebly on the ground, or being in a tiring frenzy of sloppy defenses—but she must have done so, for she then found herself lying at the foot of the door, clutching her torn garments as to cover her breasts, panting for air through the blood clotting up in her throat.

In complete contrast to her state, however, Taiso stood as cold and calm as ever, looming over her, stepping closer with every second, his robe threatening to flap open and the gleam just on his neckline—

The ring!

Feeling a surge of hope dart forth from the haze of agony and fear, Sakura sprung herself back onto her feet, immediately making a mad dash toward the man, catching him off guard by a millisecond. His arm immediately rose to catch her punch, but his footing slid back nevertheless.

Gritting her teeth against the soreness in her muscle with every movement, Sakura fought harder than she has ever done in her life. Attack after attack she sent him, and block by block, he defended them all with no more movement than if he was picking up a teacup. He was too good for her.

"Why are you here?" He questioned between swipes. "Are you of a village?"

Sakura didn't answer; if she paused now, she would never get an opening from him. In her clothing and her pain, it was hard enough without having to answer troubling questions.

Until he caught her arm for the second time and jerked it behind her back, twisting in such a nasty angle that she found herself screaming in suffering.

"Why are you here?" He asked again, his voice revealing the slightest hint of strain. "Who sent you?"

"R-revenge," Sakura choked back. Yes. Revenge. For what he made her go through—the worry, the nervousness, the anger, the prostitute clothing, and the shoes.

"Oh?" Taiso breathed mockingly, "is that so?"

Taking a deep breath and preparing to make the biggest resistance so far yet, Sakura ground out a menacing, "Go to hell!" before forcing her feet into Taiso's legs. There was a slow-motion moment where her body twisted around almost gracefully around his figure, her hands swapping away his in the process of dropping to the ground.

Then, as if on unbelievably well-timed cue only seen in movies, the wall behind her burst open with an explosion to rival the one seen earlier in the forest. Dust once again flew everywhere, but as Sakura flipped herself on the ground, she could make out the shapes of two women. One she recognized with flowing dark hair and a very toned form, and the other was taller, a bit curvier than Kayuri. And while the ANBU had the uniform, the other was in complete contrast with a bright red yukata held together only be a thick sash around the middle.

In the blink of an eye, they rushed forth, the ANBU grabbing hold of Sakura and dragging her away, and the other engaging Taiso across the room.

"What's--?" Sakura started, but was quickly shushed as Kayuri's speed of travel through the complex made it difficult for her to talk. Sakura was barely running—more like being dragged with her toes scarcely scraping the ground.

Suddenly, Kayuri came to a halt before a wooden door embedded in the deeper part of the building. A moment later, Sakura found the two of them in a dark room that resembled a hospital janitor's closet.

"What's going on?" Sakura panted, finally.

"Listen, Haruno," Kayuri began seriously, addressing Sakura by her last name to emphasize the point. "As soon as Kakashi gets here, escape. There should be a small unnamed village just to the north of this mountain. Once you get there, look for reservations in Hotel Yuki. Tell the manager that I told you guys to go."

"Is she gonna cancel charges?"

"She's an old acquaintance of mine. She should be able to get you and Kakashi a suite. Stay low there for a while and--"

"Why? Why don't we just head back for Konoha?"

"Taiso will be tailing us. And the last thing we need is for him to know our origin and purpose. Besides, you're injured."

"I'm fine."

"Sakura, you have two giant bruises on your back shaped like hand prints. The only thing I can think of to cause that is a chakra-inflicted jutsu or attack."

Right then, the room shook violently, followed by the door creaking open to reveal the woman from earlier.

Both women turned to the newcomer, and Sakura noticed for the first time that the woman had grey-silver hair.

"What happened with Taiso, Kakashi-senpai?"

Sakura blinked. What did she just hear?

Obviously her disbelief grew evident on her face because the woman quickly turned to her with an apologetic smile. Following a sudden puff of smoke, a disheveled Kakashi appeared in the same place, mask up, eye patch down.

"This is a Kodak moment," Sakura gasped, fanning herself madly to keep from fainting. "I'd never thought this day would come. The famous Cop Nin as a woman!"

"Well, it was easier to get around," Kakashi explained, with an embarrassed sort of crease of an eye.

"In any case," Kayuri continued, "See you guys later." She headed for the door and was out of sight before Sakura could ask what for.

"Are you alright?" Kakashi asked, seeing Sakura suddenly breaking down in tremors.

Clutching herself as if she was cold, Sakura found herself shaking uncontrollably, her body returning to a state of blazing agony. "S-something Taiso g-gave me."

Kakashi leaned in a little closer. "He didn't…?"

"N-no, I wasn't raped. It's a drink--" her sentence was never finished before her knees buckled below her and she fell to the ground in a heavy thud.

In the back of her mind, Sakura began to register the reason as to why the ring was never once in mention. It was probably because they didn't want to lower her self-esteem by making her admit she couldn't obtain it. Involuntarily, her fist clenched harder against the small piece of metal.

Paralyzed, Sakura knew she couldn't be of much help as Kakashi peered out the door slowly into the abnormally quiet hallway. And it was no help that her body was still shaking, even in Kakashi's strong arms, nor was it any aid that her mind was drifting off into the realm of the unconscious. Or the dead. In her state, it was hard to tell the difference. Soon, she would be smelling a field of flowers, and purple clouds, and marshmallow houses in the distance over the faint aroma of fresh forests.

No, the last smell was definitely real.

It was coming from Kakashi. Strangely, it had a calming effect on her, and the safety of his arms kept her mind at bay such that she remained her sanity throughout the ride. And surprisingly, the escape upstairs had been rather peaceful and undisturbed.

But, like she expected, it didn't last that way.

As soon as they (Kakashi) hit the ground floor, Sakura's half-open eyes caught the depressing sight of a group of gang members. They turned around immediately, and eyes widened at the sight of the two.

"H-Hatake?"

"Wait, if this is the real you, then who's sitting in the corner of the room?"

Sakura's head turned feebly to see a Kakashi sitting in the corner of the room—tied up. Smirking as the fake Kakashi soon burst into smoke, Sakura willed herself to get out of Kakashi's arms and get up.

_Oh, but it was so comfortable to be held like this…_

"Does Taiso know you're here?" One of them shouted.

Shrugging casually as Sakura stood up next to him, Kakashi replied heartily, "I hope not."

"Well, we can't just let you go."

"I have a dentist appointment," Kakashi reasoned fairly. "I would like to make a good impression without loosing any teeth in pointless fights that can easily be avoided with a little understanding."

"Or howabout you leave the girl?"

"That can be a problem, you see. She's my doctor."

"Then you don't get to go."

Kakashi sighed as if in resignation, then promptly tugged his eye patch up to reveal an immobile Sharingan over blood shot eyes.

As soon as that, all the men took at least two steps back in fright, murmuring among themselves.

"Look," Kakashi began matter-of-factly. "I don't know what you heard about me from Taiso-san, but I'm sure he didn't tell you about my Mangekyou Sharingan? Are you aware of what it's capable of?"

A few of the men had the bravery to shake their heads.

"Sakura, tell them."

Surprised that she was the one talking, Sakura mustered up her strength and followed up with, "It will KILL all of you in less than a minute, faster than you can say 'kunai.' Moreover, it will cause you pain."

"How would you feel to be strapped to crosses and stabbed repeatedly for three days straight?"

More murmurs arose from the crowd.

"Now," Kakashi chirped. "If you'll excuse us, we have an escape to make. Come on, Sakura."

Sakura made to follow as he took her hand, but a gleam soon caught her attention. A kunai, aimed directly for Kakashi's head. As she expected, he dodged it without looking, but turned around with a menacing glare in his eyes.

Whoever that was stupid enough to toss that kunai was doomed.

Sakura barely caught the sight of his Sharingan reforming before a man amidst the many clutched his bald head, screaming shrilly in what appeared to be pure agony. The others stepped away from him, but it was not soon until each and every one of them began swaying as if the ground was moving.

"Genjutsu?" Sakura asked.

"Intensified by Sharingan," Kakashi explained. "Taiso's coming. We need to get going."

"And Kayuri--?"

"A mission's a mission, Sakura."

In a flurry, Kakashi was at the door, prepared to leave, only to find an unconscious Sakura behind him. With not time, Kakashi bent down immediately to pick her up, but as his hand neared her face (ignoring his eyes which traveled to her lips), he found a golden gleam between her fingers. Frowning slightly, he reached in, and picked out the small gold loop.

Taiso's ring.

A hidden smile of appreciation pursed his masked lips as he pocketed the small object and picked up Sakura.


	10. Identity Lost

Sakura's mind was groggy as she woke up—almost as though she lived through five centuries of chronic exploding tags setting off. She sat up with an audible hiss of pain, a hand flying to her head in a futile attempt to stifle the throbbing. If anything, she made it worse.

Mumbling foul language under her breath, Sakura's dead brain decided to finally survey her surroundings. A curtained window lay to her (and the bed's) left, where dim lighting filtered through the cracks in the fabric. There was a small bed stand next to her, and a wooden desk on the other side of the room, next to a door that Sakura supposed must have led to the bathroom.

Sighing, she peeked outside. The light seemed to suggest it was morning, nearing noon, perhaps.

Then the door opened without pretense. Sakura couldn't react fast enough due to her headache, but when she saw who it was, she was never happier.

"Kakashi-sensei," she said, giving a weak smile.

He was carrying a basket of fruits, his notorious book propped up in the other hand. "Yo," he greeted, lone eye crinkling into the familiar smile.

"How long was I out?" She asked, totally unsure if she wanted to know.

"Whole night since we got here."

"I supposed this is Hotel Yuki? What happened to the suite?"

"They ran out of rooms, it seems. They gave us this one free of charges under Karyuri's name."

Sakura's mind clicked suddenly. "Where is she?"

Kakashi shrugged, seemingly not caring. "Not back."

"Oh." Sakura didn't feel like having a conversation, which was rare. It was partly due to her headache, and partly due to the fact that she didn't have any good chat starters to bring up. As a makeshift impromptu, she questioned about their mission. "What about the ring?"

"What about it?"

"Well…" Sakura didn't know how to word it. She thought she deserved some praise or acknowledgement for it, to say the least. "What do we do with it?"

"We give to the Godaime when we return to Konoha."

"Which will be…?"

"When you feel little better, and when we're sure Taiso's men are not tailing us."

Sakura frowned. "How do we do that?"

"Scouting, maybe?" Kakashi mused, shutting his book at last and setting the basket down on the table. "You stay here nicely and heal yourself while I go gather some information on what's been going on in this village. Fair game."

Sakura nodded in understanding, but there were still things welled up inside her that she wanted to but couldn't say. She wanted to hear Kakashi praise her for getting the ring. She wanted to hear him ask how she was doing. She wanted to see him do something for her that showed he cared. Instead, all she heard herself mumbled was, "Sorry."

Kakashi paused in skinning an apple with a kunai. "Come again?"

"I'm sorry," Sakura said a little louder.

"For taking up my bed and making me sleep on the floor? Damn right you ought to be."

"No, that's not it!" Sakura grumbled, getting irritated at her lack of abilities to word a simple sentence. "I mean that—I'm sorry if, you know—if I was of any burden to you…or our mission…whatever…something like that…okay, I'll shut up."

Kakashi didn't make a move, but he simply stared at her from where he stood. His expression was unreadable (well, 90 of it was not visible), so Sakura decidedly stared at the floor, deeming a suspiciously white stain there the most interesting thing in the entire room.

"Want some apple?" Kakashi asked finally, arm extending the peeled one to her. Sakura sighed and held out a hand to catch it.

--------------------------------------

Sakura spent most of her day wandering around in the village market. Ignoring her more-than-occasional throbs of pain in her head and almost an overwhelming sense of nausea, she was able to get around pretty okay. By mid-afternoon, she thought to stock up on another yukata, should infiltration be of need again, along with new sandals, a portable bath set, and…the first volume of Icha Icha Paradise.

It was not something she wanted to do initially—demeanoring herself to Kakashi's level of reading literary porn, but she felt seriously neglected. Perhaps she was doing it for some attention or whatnot, or maybe just to see for herself what was so interesting about Jiraiya's writing…either way, it wouldn't have mattered, right? She was seventeen.

Speaking of which, Kakashi was still nowhere to be seen. She's not seen him since he gave her the apple earlier in the morning. He'd told her he went scouting, but Sakura couldn't ignore the inevitable feeling of loneliness that settled inside her stomach upon his absence.

She almost felt disappointed.

Frowning at her own thoughts and shrugging them off in the process, Sakura glanced at her wallet. Still some money left. She could go for some drinks…

"Sakura?"

Said girl turned around out quickly. "Genma?"

The shinobi in question stood in the usual slack, with a toothpick dangling form his mouth, as usual.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, bewildered and almost dropping her bag of supplies.

"Sent of info track," Genma droned, sounding not particularly interested. "From Godaime-sama, of course. Care to guess who I'm info tracking for?"

"Uh…?"

"You and Kakashi," Genma scoffed. "Fuck, I was on break too."

Sakura raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about? What information?"

Genma sighed, a hand scratching the back of his head in exhaustion. "We'll talk in the bar. Kakashi should already be there."

"How--?"

Genma dangled a scroll from his fingers, and Sakura recognized it to be a messenger scroll. With a sigh and thwarting her idea of going to the bar alone out the window, she trudged after Genma's back.

The bar was noisy—as Sakura expected it to be. Even in this village, it seemed thugs and whores hung out like bees and honey. Upon first entering, Genma had already made "eye-contact" with several females, who glared at Sakura…for some reason. She ignored them uncle she saw them give looks to another man sitting by the back tables.

Kakashi.

Ok, _this_ she could not ignore. She returned the females' glares with equally ferocious ones, until Genma said very kindly, "Sakura, you look like you're constipated. Do you need some Ex-Lax?"

Sakura didn't respond.

-----------------------------------

"Did the Godaime give you two any warnings so far?"

Sakura shook her head, taking another sip out of her Aqua Velna. "What are you talking about?"

Genma reached into his back pocket and pulled out a small folder, sliding across the table toward Kakashi and Sakura. Both leaned in. Placed in front of them was a picture of Kayuri.

"Kayuri-senpai?" Sakura asked, confused as to what Genma was getting at. "What is this about?"

"Godaime and Shizune ran a check on her—her mission here is unauthorized. There's no record or approval of it. She actually was reported missing from Konoha about two weeks ago, after we found out she's been denied of another assignment here for another one where she was needed as a medic."

Sakura blinked and glanced at Kakashi beside her. He was slumping back in his seat, and was not even looking like he paid any attention.

Genma went on. "I was told to check out her records—no family history. Has a huge, almost surreal success rate for missions, assassinations, retrieval and even as a medic. I don't know about your old days, Kakashi, but I don't think even you had a straight record as hell-like as hers."

Kakashi's eyes settled on Genma for a moment, expressionless. "Well, I wasn't notorious for being an 'Akai-Kage.'"

"That's not the point. Me and Shizune went to ask about her fromm her teammates. Take a look at this." He fished out something else from his inside pocket and slapped it on the table.

"…A diary?" Sakura mused, picking up the black, leather bound volume. "It's locked."

"Seal, actually," Genma corrected. "We searched her room in the headquarters, and besides this and some regular paperwork for ANBU, it was basically empty. Mayu Kagae, who's on her team confirmed that she saw her writing in it once."

"Did you try cracking the seal?" Kakashi asked, examining the diary himself now.

"Godaime tried," Genma sighed dejectedly, shaking his head. "Nothing."

"Tsunade-sama couldn't get it?!" Sakura said, thoroughly shocked. The table was silent for a moment as all three contemplated on how those facts will impact their mission.

"What does this mean?" Sakura asked finally, in a small voice.

"It means you and Kakashi will have to watch yourselves around her," Genma explained, shrugging. "Not much more I can say. Tsunade just came to give you a warning. Konoha doesn't particularly believe she's a traitor or anything. She was right alongside Kakashi during the war against Orochimaru, and her slate of records are all in favor of justifying her side with Konoha."

Sakura squirmed uncomfortably in her seat. Kayuri, an enemy?

"Well, we have to finish our mission," Kakashi said. "Kayuri's not supposed to part of it."

"But she came with you this far," Genma went on. "Don't you think it was too coincidental that she met up with you after your mission statement was handed out? Didn't you find it weird that the Godaime wasn't the one issuing to you the change in plans? And on such short notice, too. She didn't even tell you that you guys had an ANBU escort."

Sakura's mind clicked. What Genma said made more sense than she wanted it to, much the facts were there. She just really did not want to deem Kayuri guilty.

"What could she be up to, then?" Sakura asked.

"I don't know. We found records of her being here quite a while back—another unauthorized investigation. No paperworks, no mission statement, nothing."

"So you think she's here for personal reasons?" Kakashi questioned, shifting in his seat.

"Possibly. Nothing's been determined back home yet. You need to watch your step around her, that's for sure."

"But she's not stupid," Sakura argued. "She has to know the consequences, right?"

Genma didn't answer in words. Instead, he slid another piece of paper to Sakura and Kakashi. It was a few seconds before anyone made a move.

"She's resigning?" Sakura almost shouted, incredulous. "Why?"

"I don't know. It wasn't submitted. We actually found this in her trash can. Seemed like she was debating whether or not she wanted to send this in."

Sakura was at a loss for words. This was too confusing.

"In any case," Genma began again. "I'm here to keep an eye on things."

"How long are you staying for?" Kakashi said.

"Until your mission is finished. Tsunade has back-up ANBUs waiting on standby in Konoha should there be need. I think she's blowing things out of proportion. I know a stray ANBU is dangerous, but with you guys, I really don't see the point of me being here."

"Well, what are you gonna do?"

"Ooooh, check her out." Genma was not listening anymore. He was too busy sending kisses to a nearby blonde chick.

---------------------------------------------

Sakura was sitting in the hotel's backyard, watching the ants crawl by next to her feet. The setting sun was now casting a golden glow over the rooftops, but that didn't stifle the cold. As suspected in these areas.

The gates behind her creaked open, and she didn't need to turn around to know it was Kakashi.

"Want an apple? There's still a lot left from this morning," he offered, and Sakura heard an unmistakable crunch.

Wait—he was chewing?

Her eyes widened, and she spun around so hard she heard her neck crack.

Kakashi stood there almost gleefully, and arm extended out to her, holding an apple…and his mask was on. He was chewing underneath his mask. She caught the fruit as he tossed it to her, proceeding to seat himself next to her on the steps.

Sakura stared at the red apple with waning interest. "You know an apple is a sign of man's original sin."

"It also keeps the doctor away," Kakashi deadpanned.

"What do you think about Kayuri?" Sakura blurted out, not really caring about what the words came out to be.

Before he could respond, Sakura and Kakashi both tensed. Someone was approaching. They were on their feet within moments, eyes fixed on the roof behind them, trying to locate the source of the third chakra. It was filled with killer intent.

The target was spotted with ridiculous ease, as the owner was hopping from rooftop to rooftop, obviously not even bothering to conceal themselves. A swish of black cloak was then followed by a swift landing as the figure descended before Kakashi and Sakura.

The hood came off. Akage Kayuri. Speak of the devil.

What was more, even through the black of her cloak, it was caked in blood. The stench nearly made Sakura hurl; she wasn't even wearing the stuff.

"Where were you?" Sakura asked, seeing no sign of questioning on Kakashi's part.

"My mission," Kayuri replied through her mask, sounding as if she wanted to be anywhere but there. She turned around and tried to walk away, but Sakura's arm extended out to grab her shoulder.

Kayuri caught it before contact.

Her gloved grip was so hard Sakura could swear any second her wrist would snap. Yet she made no sign of pain, simply stare at Kayuri with a fiery expression.

"I have to warn you, Sakura, right now--"

"Bring it on," Sakura growled before her brain could register.

Kayuri's deadened eyes revealed no surprise.

She was too fast. Sakura was falling behind. Every move made by the ANBU looked like a blur to her, and the odor of blood did nothing to improve that. The most she could do then was block each punch sloppily.

And the sun was setting. Kakashi simply watched from the roof.

Sakura watched Kayuri's expression as she fought. Her eyes were pained, Sakura decided. She as definitely hiding something, no mistake now.

A kick in her guts soon sent her mind reeling back, however, and Sakura was forced to draw back as a kunai missed her by inches. She drew out her own automatically, using it to deflect more Shurikens. Kayuri seized the chance. She charged forward, swerving around Sakura's kunai swing to double back and jam her foot into Sakura's back.

The medic's vision blurred temporarily—she blamed it on the drug Taiso had given her for weakening her so. She suddenly found herself wishing it could all end. Maybe Kayuri was just too good for her.

Sakura stumbled forth nevertheless, and Kayuri was there before she could react. A knee was slammed into her jaw, and Sakura reeled back, reading into the ANBU's moves. As soon as Kayuri appeared behind her once more, Sakura's footing secured behind her and her body jerked back to direct a chakra-filled punch.

She missed. Not quite. It didn't hit Kayuri's chest—it lodged itself in her shoulder. Akage had dodged at the last moment.

But now the glint in her eyes was unmistakable.

Sakura's heart thudded wildly for a moment, and she blinked when she thought she saw Kayuri's eye color glow a bright shade of rainbow.

Then it was gone.

The wind roared.

Sakura only caught a brief glint of a bloodstained katana drawing out—her guts squirmed with an incredibly intense killer intent—she saw the katana snake toward her chest—she shut her eyes and waited for the contact—

It never came.

There was a sound of metal clashing against metal, but Sakura felt no pain. Slowly, her eyes opened to see Kakashi standing beside her, his metal plated glove redirecting Kayuri's attack. By the way his hand was shaking slightly, Sakura supposed the weapon must have been held with quite some force.

"You intend to bring a sparring match into a bloodbath, Kayuri?" Kakashi asked casually, but both Sakura and Kayuri could see through his lazy tone. "Your killer intent is obvious."

"Not directed towards you," she replied, not removing her katana. "Don't get the wrong idea here."

Kakashi's other hand backed Sakura away. It then uncovered his Sharingan.

Kayuri still did not move. What was wrong with her? Sakura was confused beyond mentioning, debating whether or not she wanted Kakashi or Kayuri to win. Neither seemed plausible.

"Sharingan, huh?" Kayuri growled. "Same old same old. Guess variety is not in your vocabulary, Kakashi?"

Sakura disregarded Kayuri's lack of suffix for Kakashi's name.

"And you?" Kakashi droned back. "Is there something you're not telling us?" He pulled out her diary.

Kayuri's eyes widened. In a swift movement that was equivalent to a blink of an eye, she lunged forward, Kakashi back. Her hand caught the hem of his shirt, her foot slid to the other side.

The katana never left contact with the back of his hand.

When the scene froze next, the diary was gone.

"Give it back," Kayuri hissed.

"I can't do that, you see. We're in a little pinch here."

"I'm under suspicion, then? I bet Konoha already sent someone," Kayuri scoffed, finally letting her weapon go. Her tone changed to the normal voice when she spoke next, "I guess I'll stay here for a while. But seriously, don't get the wrong idea."

With a casual wave, Kayuri sauntered back inside, shrugging off her cloak along the way.

Kakashi stared after her with a sense of foreboding. He glanced down at his hand. The steel plate had been cracked in two, and blood was dripping from the flesh.

His eyes narrowed.

Kayuri…who was she?


End file.
